Guess I Forgot to Smile
by Hope Diamonde
Summary: FINISHED! A thief has a run in with THE Spot Conlon and learns a lesson she's not about to forget. But in turn she teaches Spot a lesson about life he's not going to forget either.
1. Chapter One: Stolen

DISCLAIMER-I DON'T OWN NEWSIES. Duh. If I did do you honestly think I'd be sitting here writing? I didn't think so. . .  
  
A/N-wow. It's been a loooong time since I've been on here. I wonder if any of my loyal reviewers are still here. o.O anywho. . . I would truly appreciate it if you would review after reading, hell if you want I'll even read your story(s) and review if you really want. Please check out my other stories. They've been up for a while but I should be updating those again so check for updates! On with the story.  
  
GUESS I FORGOT TO SMILE  
  
CHAPTER ONE: STOLEN  
  
Aurora wasn't a thief. She preferred the term "permanent borrower". Not only did she steal because she could but also to survive. Aurora didn't remember her parents. All she could remember was her Uncle Giorgio, no matter how hard she tried to forget. She left Giorgio when she was just under ten and found she had a knack for. . .well stealing. At first she didn't like it but after a while she got faster, it got easier, and she grew to like it. Not enjoy it but she didn't mind. Of course it was hard not to take advantage of people if they let you. When Aurora was younger, she only stole food and slept on the streets. As soon as she got comfortable with her life style, she began to steal money. She became a pick pocket too. Men were the easiest to steal from. If she bumped into them and made sure she was quick, it was easy to swipe their wallets from their back pockets. Aurora made sure she was careful with her money, a girl with her looks and her age would look suspicious with a lot of money.  
  
Aurora was obviously Italian. Perhaps it was the long black hair, or the olive skin, or the shortness of height. Maybe it was the roman nose, or the thick thighs, or the way she walked with confidence. Whatever it was, it wasn't her eyes. Aurora had stormy blue-gray eyes, never resting. The color seemed to change constantly from blue to gray or somewhere in between. Restless like a storm and sharp, they were what she loved the most about herself. Not her long silky black hair, not her fairly decent body, but her eyes that won her every theft she had ever accomplished. Aurora wore what she wanted, and what she had. Normally it consisted of an unbuttoned short-sleeved blouse over a three-quarter sleeve shirt. Sometimes she wore trousers, sometimes she wore knee length skirts. She always wore her black boots coming one quarter of the way up her shins.  
  
Aurora had an eye for shiny things. Maybe that's what got her into trouble that one day. She had quite the collection of jewelry, which she was very proud of. However one day a boy carrying a gold topped cane caught her eye and she immediately decided that she was going to have that cane. She followed the boy around for some time, scooping out the way he walked, his rhythm, his step, and what would be the easiest way for her to snatch that cane. She finally decided to do a quick hit and run and started walking a bit faster in order to catch up with the boy. The boy started glancing back, after hearing her quickened footsteps, but after he saw who was causing them he though nothing of it. Aurora smiled, a thing she only did when she was about to get something really good, and something she really wanted. Breaking into a fast run, Aurora slammed right into the boy, expertly slipped the cane out of his hand and took of running as fast as she could.  
  
It took only a second for Spot to realize what had just happened to him and he took off running after the thief. But it was that second he took that prevented him from catching up to the girl, with black hair flowing behind her as she ran. The girl ran faster then Spot had ever seen anyone, guy or girl, run before. After a few minutes Spot had lost the thief in the maze of alleys, and turned around punching the brick wall behind him. Even the pain in his hand didn't deplete his anger as he headed back to the warehouse where the Brooklyn newsies stayed.  
  
Spot barged into the warehouse, causing a few of the newsies to jump in surprise. He scanned the room, his eyes clouded with rage, checking to see just who was there. Satisfied with the newsies in the room he jumped up on a crate.  
  
"'EY!" he shouted. The boys, and girls, in the room immediately quieted down and looked over at Spot standing atop the crate. "My cane has been stolen" he announced. This caused a little bit of commotion as the other newsies in the room began to mutter to each other. Who was stupid enough to steal from THE Spot Conlon? "'EY!" he shouted again regaining their attention. "It was stolen by a short Italian girl with long black hair. I want it back." 


	2. Chapter Two: A Spot Encounter

A/N-Well here it finally is, chapter 2. I was actually kinda surprised to see all the reviews I got and how anxious you guys were to read the next chapter. So I worked my butt off, and amongst all my other stories I'm working on, old and new(which you should go read and review), I was able to finish chapter 2. So here it is. Oh, and if you would like to be in this story just tell me in your review and I'll e-mail you a form to fill out or send your info to my e-mail address. Ok? Good! Now. . .  
  
CHAPTER TWO: A SPOT ENCOUNTER  
  
Aurora loved her new cane. She loved the feeling of power it gave her, how it made her feel like she could do whatever the hell she wanted. Not that she couldn't already but she felt like she would never be caught doing anything. She loved the way it looked when she spun it about in her hand, the way the gold gleamed in the sun and reflected the sun light. She loved how smooth and polished to wood was.  
  
Now she didn't normally think about the people she stole from but she was starting to wonder how a street rat like him had gotten his hands on a such a beautiful, well crafted, and probably expensive thing. 'He probably stole it' she thought to herself. 'Well what goes around comes around. It's mine now.'  
  
She was still curious about her latest heist. As she looked at it closer she was starting to suspect that the top wasn't just some gold metal or gold plated but that it was actually solid gold. Her eyes sparkled and she almost smiled, thinking about just how much money she would get if she sold it.  
  
Another thought struck her in the head. What if the boy was looking for it. It was obviously very valuable and he was probably quite pissed. She laughed. No one had ever caught her and what could that scrawny boy do? Sure, she was shorter then him but she threw a very painful punch. It was all required to live on the street. Aurora was positive that if she ever did encounter the boy she could kick his ass and walk away with barely a scratch.  
  
Just in case she looked behind her. She shrugged to herself. The only people around were two newsies, probably headed to get more papers or to where ever they stayed. As far as Aurora could tell, she was safe.  
  
Twirling her cane she turned into an alley, where she could access a fire escape that led to the roof tops. From there she could make her way to the room which she had "borrowed" until she found a more permanent location to stay. Much to her surprise the newsies followed her in. She raised an eye in puzzlement, newsies weren't thieves and no one she could think of held a grudge against her. Maybe they were staying in the alley.  
  
"Dat's a nice cane you'se gots" one of the newsies called out to her back. She turned around to face them.  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
"Dat cane. Wheah'd you'se get it?" asked the taller one. He looked a little intimidating with dark hair falling in front of his face hiding his dark eyes. The tan skin and features made Aurora to think that he was Hispanic.  
  
"It's mine" Aurora replied shortly. 'Newsies aren't thieves' she began to think to herself. 'Maybe they're just starting a friendly conversation. . .'  
  
"How long you'se have it?" said the other one as the two of them stepped closer. This one had shaggy light brown hair and green eyes. Aurora looked behind her to see a brick wall. She had nowhere to go.  
  
"Long enough"  
  
"Well, we'se gots a friend who's missin his cane. It looks jus like dat."  
  
"I'm sorry" Aurora gulped. "I'se hope he finds it."  
  
"Kinda funny" said the fist one gruffly. "How his gots stolen yestahday and den we find you'se wid a cane identical ta his."  
  
"Maybe we got ouahs at da same place" she tried. Aurora was starting to get a little nervous. She knew that she could definently take out the smaller one but there was a very small chance she could take the larger one and an even smaller chance that she'd be able to take both of them.  
  
"Maybe. . ."  
  
"Well, I'se gots ta get goin. I hope he finds it" Aurora turned to leave when one of them grabbed her by the collar of her shirt and jerked her back.  
  
"You'se ain't goin no wheah" he growled in her ear.  
  
"I'se think I am" she snapped back.  
  
"Well maybe if you ah" he replied as he covered her mouth with his other hand. "But wheah evah yoah goin, it's wid us." He turned and pulled her out of the alley with the smaller one following. Aurora struggled a little but realized it was hopeless and reluctantly complied.  
  
Aurora was led to an abbadoned warehouse and a boy stood at the entrance to it, keeping guard. He nodded to the boys as they led her in. Aurora had never seen anywhere like it. Hammocks, sleeping pads, and blankets were randomly spread out among the inside. There were a few tables, which newsies were sitting around most of them playing poker. Besides the big main room there were two other rooms. One was the wash room and the other appeared to be a bedroom, Aurora assumed it was the leader's. After scanning the room she didn't see the boy she had taken the cane from. 'Maybe he's not here' she thought as she was led to the bedroom. She could feel everyone's eyes on her and she tightened her grip on the cane. They were going to have to pry it out of her grip.  
  
The newsie who wasn't holding her knocked on the closed door. A muffled 'enter' was emitted and they entered. Aurora was surprised to see the boy who's cane it was, sitting on the bed. He was the leader?  
  
Aurora was thrown down to the ground.  
  
"We found her" grunted the guy who had thrown her down.  
  
"Thanks Diablo" he replied. "You'se too Narck. Now, if you'll 'scuse us. . ." he gave the guys a very serious and commanding look and they left the room quickly, closing the door behind them.  
  
"So. . ." Spot looked down at Aurora sprawled on the floor. "You'se think yoah so funny huh?"  
  
"Wha?" Aurora snarled as she pushed herself up. She only came up to his nose but she craned her neck up to look him in the eyes which almost matched hers but his were more of an icy color.  
  
"Befoah anythin else" he said matching her gaze. "Gimee my cane."  
  
"Yoah cane?" Aurora laughed haughtily. "Sorry, I took dis. If you'se liked it so much, maybe you'se shoulda been moah caeahful."  
  
"Well" Spot glared at her and Aurora felt a shiver run down her spine. "I'm takin it back" Spot grabbed the cane and wrenched it out of her hands. He threw it onto the bed, not breaking eye contact. "Now. . . back ta business. Who do you'se think you ah?!?"  
  
"Who do I think I am? Who ah you'se?" she spat back, getting very annoyed with his cockiness.  
  
"I'm Spot Conlon" he said like everyone knew who he was. "Da leadah of da Brooklyn newsies."  
  
"Well den, I'm Aurora."  
  
"And yoah a thief."  
  
"I prefeah da toim permanent borrower" the corner of her lip twitched but she didn't smile, she rarely did.  
  
"Yoah a thief. And you'se stole me cane. I don't like it when people steal from me."  
  
"Maybe you'se should get used ta disappointment" Aurora rolled her eyes. 'Who does he think he is?' she thought to herself. 'He thinks I should fear him or something.'  
  
" 'Scuse me?" he said fiercely grabbing the front of her collar and drawing her face very close to his. "Don speak ta me like dat."  
  
" 'Scuse yoahself" Aurora replied to breaking eye contact, intent on staring him down. What could he do to her?  
  
"Look, it's one thing you stealin from me but when you'se speak so disrespectfully, dat makes me pissed. I don nohmally hit goils but I'm about to make an exception" he snarled.  
  
"Well it's nice ta know you'se got some standards" she retorted just as fiercely even though she was getting a little scared on the inside.  
  
"Unlike you'se."  
  
"Look heah" she said poking him in the chest. "Yoah really pissin me off. I take advantage of people cause dey let me. You'se weah jus asking foah me ta take yoah cane. And now yoah getting all up in me face like yoah some kinda hot shot. Well maybe you ah ta the people out theah but yoah not ta me. To me yoah jus anudah street rat. Jus anudah child left on da street ta survive. We'se all gots ta survive. Now you'se know how I do it. I know how you'se do it. So let go of me shoit and get outta me face."  
  
"Hang on. . ." Spot said shocked by her response. "Nevah speak ta me like dat again. Don EVAH call me a street rat or tell me what ta do like yoah in chahge of me. I'm not a street rat like you'se ah. Me, I've got something to be proud of. Ah you'se proud dat yoah a thief?" he let go of her shirt and Aurora stepping back.  
  
"I've gotten used ta it" she said smoothing out the wrinkles in her blouse. "I may not be proud of it but it's a livin. It's not honest but I get by no mattah what."  
  
"And yoah sayin I don't?" Spot raised an eyebrow in surprise.  
  
"Some days ah good foah you'se, some ahn't. Foah me, every day is good if I make it good. Ya see, I control who much I make. I'm in chahge of me life. I don depend on headlines and what not." Spot looked at the short girl standing in front of him, half disgusted, half impressed. His signature smirk crept over his face.  
  
"Well yoah coitanly a feisty one. Why don you'se stay head foah da night while I decide wheathah not I'm gonna give you'se what you desoive foah takin me cane" he looked her straight in the eye. "And dat's not a request, it's an ohdah. I strongly suggest you'se stay or yoah jus gonna piss me off even moah and you'se don wanna see dat."  
  
"Well Spot" Aurora said, her eyes sparkling but she still didn't smile. "Yoah generosity is ovah whelmin. I think I will stay."  
  
"Smaht choice. But you'se don seem too excited about it" he said grinning as she turned to the door. She turned back around to face him, her face expressionless except for her eyes, which were still sparkling.  
  
"Guess I forgot ta smile" and with a shrug Aurora left Spot in his room to fume to himself. 


	3. Chapter Three: A Spot Encounter, Again

A/N-yes, she is a feisty one isn't she? And don't fret, Aurora will not turn mushy, when you're like that you don't change. I suppose she's vertically challenged, like me :-D. People avoid talking about her height but maybe one time Spot'll bring it up. Hmmmm. Well Aurora sure enjoys pissing Spot off. In fact-what is she gonna do next? Please don't think I'm making this all sappy by having her "know" cause I actually have a friend who can do this and he told me exactly how I felt and how I was and I had never told him any of that so some people can do what she does. . . Now here it is-  
  
CHAPTER THREE: A SPOT ENCOUNTER-AGAIN  
  
Aurora woke up in a strange environment to her. She was surrounded by people, all but a few sleeping. On one side of her in a hammock was a blonde girl and on the other side was a guy on a sleeping pad. From the way he was breathing she could tell he wasn't asleep. She turned on her side so they were face to face and waited for him to open his eyes. After a few minutes he finally blinked his blue eyes open, surprised to find himself looking into Aurora's eyes, and jumped a little from shock.  
  
"You'se need ta get out moah" she said, the corner of her lip twitching.  
  
"Nah, I'm jus not used ta wakin up ta find meself face ta face wit a random goil" he retorted with a grin.  
  
"Like I said, you'se need ta get out moah."  
  
"Yoah da their, ain't ya?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
"Bull shit."  
  
"Maybe."  
  
"I'm Reffy."  
  
"Ain't dat nice" Aurora's eyes sparkled wickedly. "I'm Aurora."  
  
"Well Aurora, you'se shoah had Spot fummin. Ya shoulda seen it. He was throwin things and snappin at people and actin like a real dick. I coulda swohn he had a stick up his ass."  
  
"I guess dat's wheah his cane went" Aurora said almost smiling, but of course she didn't.  
  
"Damn" Reffy said with a laugh. "I can see why he was so mad. I bet ya really pissed Spot off when ya foist talked ta him."  
  
"He was bout ta hit me. Not like he coulda done nuttin" she said overconfidently.  
  
"I wouldn't be too shoah. He may be small but he can fight like a bitch" a glimmer of memory passed through Reffy's eyes. "Hell he can fight."  
  
"Looks as if you've 'sperienced it foist hand" Aurora said with a small laugh. "I guess we small folk have a lot of powah in us when it comes ta fightin."  
  
"Maybe" Reffy shook his head with a smile. "I'm still amazed yoah still alive. I dunno. I guess so many people know of Spots reputation an since you'se don you'se had no problem givin him yoah mind."  
  
"I give everyone me mind sweet heaht" she said lightly patting him on the cheek. "It's jus da way I am."  
  
"I can tell" he replied still smiling. "I kinda like dat about you'se. Evan da newsie goils heah wouldn't speak theah mind ta most of us unless dey wheah pissed at one of us."  
  
"How often does dat happen?"  
  
"Bout once a day" he laughed. "Kinda funny. Dat goil sleepin on yoah uddah side id Mania. She can be pretty bad when she's pissed off. Da woist is Stohm. And she's only twelve! But she'd got a bitch attitude!" he smiled.  
  
"Mmmm, nuttin like mine I bet."  
  
"Of coise it's nuttin like yoahs" he raised an eyebrow. "How long you'se stayin heah foah?"  
  
"Til Spot kicks me out I suppose."  
  
"So dat could be tommorah."  
  
"Or nevah. Depends on how ya look at it. Yeah he was pissed but if he was really pissed do ya think he'd want me round?"  
  
"Guess not. I didn't think bout it like dat."  
  
"Did you'se even think?" Aurora teased.  
  
"Not really" he admitted sheepishly. "Well yoah a different kinda goil 'Rora. . ."  
  
"It's Aurora" she cut in. "Don call me 'Rora again or I'm gonna have ta hoit ya."  
  
"Sorry AUrora" he said putting emphasis on the au. "Like I was sayin, yoah. . . well feisty I guess. Even dis late at night."  
  
"Yoah da second guy who's called me feisty tonight" she said thoughtfully. "Maybe dat's a sign. . ."  
  
"What kinda sign?"  
  
"Dat I'm feisty of coise."  
  
"Of coise. . ." Reffy muttered with a laugh. "I shoulda seen dat comin."  
  
"No you'se shouldn't have" Reffy's face was filled with confusion. "I'm a thief. You'se shouldn't see nothin I do comin. Jus da way it is. Dat's life."  
  
"What possessed you'se ta come a thief?" Reffy tried, hoping not to anger her.  
  
"I suppose it was cause I could run fast and I realized dat I could easily take advantage of people."  
  
"Not Spot."  
  
"Yes Spot. I already took advantage of him. He jus don know it yet."  
  
"Is dat so?"  
  
"Yes it i. . ." Aurora stopped talking when she realized that it wasn't Reffy who said that. She slowly turned her head, not at all surprised to see Spot standing above her. "Hello theah Spot" she said in a cheery way.  
  
"Is dat so?"  
  
"In a way I suppose it is."  
  
"Why don we have a talk Aurora. Jus you'se an me. Get up" Aurora reluctantly complied and followed Spot into his room. He shut the door behind him and turned to Aurora.  
  
"You'se think I'm a thief don ya?" she asked, her eyes locking with his gaze.  
  
"You ah a thief."  
  
"Am I now?"  
  
"Do you'se prefer da toim 'permanent borrower'?" he asked mockingly.  
  
"Yes. Yes I do" she broke away from his gaze to look around the room. "Nice room ya got heah. I 'specially like what you've done wit da bed. Veahy. . .um big. . ."  
  
"Cut the shit" he snapped.  
  
"Look Spot" she said whirling around and making eye contact with him again. "You'se don wanna heah what yoah askin me ta say. "I know yoah jus gonna say dat ya do but you don. Trust me."  
  
"Trust a thief?" he laughed and walked right up to her. "You'se listen up. I'm sick of yoah lil attitude you'se got goin on heah. Don pretend like ya know cause ya don."  
  
"Oh but I do Spot. I can look at you'se and see who you'se ah. I know what yoah hidin Spot."  
  
"Don give me dat bull shit like yoah tryin ta scahe me. If you'se do really know who I am den tell me" he backed away from her and sat in a chair looking up intently. "I'm listening."  
  
"Ok, you'se asked foah it" she shrugged and continued on. "It's like dis. I wouldn't go as fah as ta call you'se insecure but you'se sometimes use yoah powah ta covah up da fact dat yoah unsure of somethin or even dat yoah scahed. And wit da goils. . ." Spot grew a little confused for he hadn't mentioned anything about girls to her. "Yes Spot, I know bout da goils. You'se wanna seem suave and like yoah such a ladies man, and hell I'll be honest, I can see wheah da attraction is. But you'se sometimes wish dat you'se could have a goil wheah da relationship wasn't jus about sex and status. Sometimes you'se wish you'se had a goil who you'se could jus talk ta and someone who you'se could caeah about, someone who needs you'se. Someone who when you've had a bad day will give you'se a hug, a peck on da cheek and they'll tell you'se how much ya mean ta dem. Maybe it's something dat happened in yoah past, and I'm not gonna go theah, but you'se, Spot Conlon, want to, need to feel needed and caeahed foah."  
  
Spot stared at Aurora in disbelief. Not because she had the guts to say all of this to his face but because she had surprisingly gotten everything right. It was almost as if she knew him, but not.  
  
"Shall I go on?" she asked the baffled Spot. All he could manage was a nod and Aurora continued. "Dis is why you'se let yoahself be taken advantage of. Don worry, you'se don know when yoah lettin yoahself get taken advantage of and everyone one gets taken advantage of at least once in theah life. You'se leave yoahself vunerable at times. All it takes is a goil ta see da way you'se ah, trick you'se inta thinkin dat dey caeah and den BOOM! All of a sudden she'd got da powah, she's got da key, she's got Brooklyn."  
  
"So dat's it?" he said roughly. "Yoah aftah da powah, yoah aftah my powah."  
  
"Not me nitwit" Spot winced at the name but for once he didn't do anything about it. "Da advantage I took of you'se was da cane brought me heah. A wahm and protected place ta stay witout payin anything. Theah. Now you'se know da awful truth. Dreadful eh?"  
  
"How did you'se know?"  
  
"It's in yoah eyes Spot. You'se can't hide it, no one can. And some people can look at people and undahstand them wheah as most people won't."  
  
"So you'se undahstand me in dis freakish way?" Spot asked.  
  
"Don read too deep inta it sweetheaht. Now if you'se don mind I'm gonna go sleep some moah" Aurora took a step towards the door.  
  
"Oh but I do mind" Spot said standing up. He walked over to Aurora and tilted her chin up gently with hi hand. For a few seconds Aurora was captivated in Spot's eyes. Spot leaned down to kiss Aurora but she snapped out of it and promptly slapped him across the cheek.  
  
"I'm not yoah princess Spot" she spat out as he rubbed his cheek in shock. "So don try yoah chahm on me. I know what you'se ah."  
  
"Yeah, well so do I. I know what you'se ah. A thief."  
  
"I'd rathah be a smaht thief den a dump idiot like you'se!" and with that Aurora stormed out of Spot's room.  
  
"Bitch!" Spot yelled, his face red, as he picked up a stool and chucked it at the wall. He then slumped down on his bed and let out a huge sigh. Was this girl going to plague him forever? 


	4. Chapter Four: Memories in the Wood

A/N-alrighty. I took a break from my other story that I'm paying close attention to at the moment(Misery's Love Company, you should check it out) and finally got around to finishing up this chapter. Woohoo! Go me! I was writing this chapter and I realized that this story is gonna be a lot of mind games. Hehe, I mean, what happens when you put two stubborn people. Spot and Aurora, together and they're both trying to spite each other? Oh right, you get this story. So get ready for a lot of mind games, and sarcastic come backs, and tricks and everything else you could possibly think of! Just a friendly warning, the first sentence might sound a little dirty but it's not what you think. . . Now, on with the story!  
  
CHAPTER FOUR: MEMORIES IN THE WOOD  
  
Spot sat on his bed, running his hands over the long smooth shaft of his cane. Out of all the things she could have stolen, she had to steal his cane, the one thing in the world that meant everything to him. It was the only piece of his past that he had left.  
  
It still haunted Spot, though he didn't let it show. In his dreams he still heard her screaming, he could still see that face leering at him, he could still hear his father pleading, yelling, telling him to run. Spot knew the memories would never leave him, and now this Aurora, with the way she was able to tell him so much about him, would she figure out this past, what he tried so hard to hide? Spot fell back on his bed, still clutching the cane, and shut his eyes, letting the painful memories take over him.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Nicholas Conlon led that of a normal life. His father was a learned man who owned a book store in North East Boston. Nicholas lived with his mother and father on the first floor of a row house. It wasn't large but it was cozy and it was home.  
  
Nicholas loved the days that his father came home early. They would go for long walks along the river, his father telling him about famous leaders and philosophers, the men that soon became his hero's and role models. His mother was a simple woman who loved to bake and sow. But most of all she loved her husband and her son and enjoyed nothing greater than spending time with them and seeing her son happy.  
  
Mr. Conlon owned a cane his father before him had once owned. It was a beautiful thing, with a top of solid gold and a shaft of polished cherry oak wood. Young Nicholas loved the cane and looked forward to the day when his father would give it to him. That day came all too soon.  
  
It was a beautiful Saturday afternoon and the Conlon family was taking a walk. Nicholas was carrying his fathers cane and spinning it about in his hand while his mother and father walked hand in hand, not talking at all but just enjoying the peacefulness. In less than a heart beat three shifty looking men stepped out of an alley, all of them holding pistols.  
  
"So Conlon. I finally found ya. I've been looking for ya who knows how long. So. . . where is it?" said one pointing the gun at Mr. Conlon. Mrs. Conlon grabbed Nicholas, who was clutching the cane tightly now, and pulled him close to her.  
  
"I. . . I told you Harry" stuttered a white faced Mr. Conlon. "I'm through with that stuff. I've been through for quite some time now. I have a family to support."  
  
"Yeah, well I got me ta support. And me life ta keep."  
  
"I don't have anything Harry" Mr. Conlon stuttered again. "I'm done."  
  
"Dat's right, you are done" the man stepped forward, the other two goons also stepped forward. Mr. Conlon kicked the one called Harry in the stomach and turned to his wife and son.  
  
"Run Nick! Run Harriet!" he yelled before one punched him in the stomach. "Run Sport, run!" he gasped out, the last words he would ever speak. Mrs. Conlon grabbed her son and began to run but stopped at the sound of two gun shots.  
  
"No! James!" she screamed, dropping Nicholas and running back to her husband. Nicholas stood still for a moment, but the sound of his mothers screams and then another gun shot sent him running again.  
  
"Get the kid!" Nicholas heard from behind him. "Get him!" It was more motivation then Nicholas needed. He ran faster than he had ever ran before and eventually his quick footsteps on the cobblestones were all that he could hear. Nicholas spent that night in an alley, holding onto the cane and crying, the last time he would ever do such a thing.  
  
Nicholas was a smart boy and he knew he couldn't stay in Boston. The next day he found himself in a train yard where he stowed away in a freight car of a train headed for Brooklyn, New York.  
  
New York scared the young boy. It was a big, intimidating city, filled with dangers he couldn't even imagine. Nicholas wandered these streets for a few days, clutching his cane and starving. No matter how tempting the fresh fruit of the vendors looked, he could never bring himself to steal some.  
  
Perhaps, one day fate decided to give the poor kid a break because as he was wandering the streets he bumped into the girl who would change his life.  
  
"Ey! Watch wheah yoah goin!" she exclaimed, lifting her papes over her head to avoid hitting him with them or loosing a precious few.  
  
"Sorry" he replied, his Boston accent standing out.  
  
"Wait" she said, grabbing him by the shoulder to stop him. "Yoah not from around dese paths, ah you'se?" Nicholas shook his head, feeling a little scared. "In fact yoah lookin a little lost. I can help ya, ya know."  
  
"No. . . no thank you" he said weakly.  
  
"Look kid. I can see dat yoah tiahed and hungry. I can help ya. You'se can be a newsie, like me" she said with a smile.  
  
"A newsie?" he stammered.  
  
"Yeah. Ya know what dose ah?" he nodded his head unsurely. "Good. Jus happens dat you'se bumped inta one of da leadahs of da Brooklyn newsies. What do ya say kid?"  
  
"Um. . ." Nicholas thought for a little while, wondering if this is what his parents wanted him to do. "Sure, I'll be a newsie" he said finally, with a grin that would soon become infamous.  
  
"Great. I'm Flash. You'se got a name?"  
  
"Ni. . ." he started before getting a better idea. "Name's Sport" he said, but with his thick Boston accent it sounded more like Spoht.  
  
"Spot?" she asked in puzzlement.  
  
"No, Spoht."  
  
"Dat's what I said, Spot" she shrugged. "Alright, if dat's what dey call you'se, den Spot it is. C'mon Spot, lemee show ya yoah new home" Nicholas, now known as Spot, followed the tall brown haired, green eyed girl to an abandoned warehouse. "Dis is da home of da Brooklyn newsies."  
  
"Not bad" he said, happy to finally have a place he could call home again.  
  
"Yeah" she shrugged. "Let's go in. Theah's someone you'se needs ta meet. I think you'll like him" Spot followed Flash into the warehouse, and past a couple newsies to a back room which she barged into.  
  
"Dammit! Can't you'se people kn. . ." the boy inside started before he saw who it was. "Oh, sorry bout dat Flash."  
  
"Yeah, no problem. Jet, dis head is Spot."  
  
"So. . .?" Jet said turning to look at Spot. "Why should I caeah?"  
  
"Cause he reminds me of someone. Someone from Boston" Flash looked at Jet who was staring at Spot, a sudden look of nostalgia passing through his eyes.  
  
"Spot. . ." he began slowly. "How old ah you'se?"  
  
"Twelve."  
  
"Twelve. . ." he repeated a smile crossing over his lips. "Yoah right Flash. He does" Flash nodded and also diverted her attention to Spot. "You'se Spot, you'se got potential. I can see it in ya" Jet said, clasping his hand on Spot's shoulder.  
  
"Potential for what?" Spot asked feeling a little confused and pressured.  
  
"A potential ta be something great" Flash said, smiling.  
  
"Ta be da greatest thing dat evah happened ta dis borough" Jet said, giving Spot a little shake. "Spot, I think yoah gonna like it heah."  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Spot let out a sigh and pulled his cane closer to him. He had had potential, and he did become something great. And he wasn't about to let some thief meander in and destroy everything he had worked so hard to build. His signature smirk crept over his lips as he began to plan just how to deal with this intruder. If she wanted to play a game then he would play to. However, this was his arena, she would have to play by his rules. And his ruled meant that things would be getting rough. It was just the kind of challenge that Spot loved. 


	5. Chapter Five: The Game is on

A/N-alright, alright. So maybe I lied, just a little. However, it was a good lie, right? I know I said that I might not be able to update(see A/N in Misery's Love Company, chapter six)because of school but I get around to writing. Yes, I'm writing at like midnight when I should be asleep cause I have to get up at 5:15 the next day but I can't help it! I just have to write. So I'm gonna kinda repeat what I said in Misery's Love Company, don't expect frequent updates. If I do update again soon you'll be happy and if I don't you'll have been expecting it, right? Now, the next chapter!  
  
CHAPTER FIVE: THE GAME IS ON  
  
"Good mohnin doll face" Aurora moaned and rolled over, swatting at whoever it was standing above her talking to her. "C'mon sweet cheeks" at that, much to the surprise of Spot, Aurora shot up quickly, grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled his face about two inches away from hers.  
  
"Ya call me sweet cheeks again and you'se won be able ta say anythin foah a veahy long time" she growled in his face and then pushed him back fiercely.  
  
"Well den doll face" he tested. Aurora raised her eyebrows and gave him a look of extreme irritation but did nothing else. "Ya gotta get up and goin."  
  
"Who ah you'se? Me muddah?" she glared and fell back down on her sleep pad, pulling the blanket over her head.  
  
"Alright missy" Spot growled, leaning down and yanking the cover off. He then proceeded to pull a very tired and pissed off Aurora up and look her in the eyes. "Ya get up and you'se get movin or else you'se won be able ta sit foah a veahy long time."  
  
"Great. I won sit and you'se won talk" she shot back. "Wheah am I goin? Home?"  
  
"No, yoah sellin papes ta earn yoah stay heah" Spot said. Aurora nodded her head unenthusiastically, but decided not to argue and turned to head to the washroom. Spot grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her back around. "You'll be sellin with me" he added fiercely with a growl.  
  
"Oh, dis is gonna be one hell of a day" she let out a sigh and turned back around. "You'll regret this Spot, ya really will" she said as she made her way to the washroom.  
  
"No" Spot said quietly to himself with his signature smirk. "You will."  
  
Aurora stumbled into the washroom, groggy and irritated. "Damn him" she muttered to herself as she splashed cold water on her face. "Damn him and his prissy attitude" she continued to mutter things like this as she went about her business in the washroom. Fifteen minutes later she emerged, still wearing the same brown knee length skirt and gray three-quarters sleeve shirt with an unbuttoned blue blouse over it as she had the day before. She marched up to Spot, who was waiting impatiently and poked him in the chest with her finger.  
  
"We'ah goin ta my place" she demanded.  
  
"What?" Spot asked looking down at the short Italian in front of him.  
  
"I said, we'ah goin ta my place" she repeated slowly for Spot. "Dese ah da same clothes I woah yestahday and they'ah filthy."  
  
"So?" Spot asked.  
  
"So. . . I don like weahin doity clothes."  
  
"Can't you'se jus wash dem?" Spot asked dumbly.  
  
"Spot, who washes yoah clothes? You'se don I suppose."  
  
"Luna washes dem."  
  
"Alright Spot, I'll walk ya through dis" she said deviously. "Foist, ya soak da clothes in watah. Now, in case ya didn't know, watah is wet. Then you'se clean dem wit soap. Aftah dat ya rinse dem off cause ya don wanna leave soap in dem" Spot glared at Aurora for making him sound like such a fool. "Now, aftah they've been rinsed, what ah dey?"  
  
"Clean. . ." Spot said irritably. "And wet."  
  
"Veahy good Spot!" she replied in mock excitement. "They'ah wet! Now it takes a while ta dry clothes and I'm shoah as hell not walkin around in soakin wet clothes and if I'm not mistaken, you'se have a deadline ta make at da distribution office."  
  
"Fine" Spot sighed in defeat. "We'll go ta yoah place, AFTAH you'se get yoah papes."  
  
"I'll go ta my place, you'se get da papes."  
  
"No Aurora, yoah sellin wit me" Spot said forcefully. "And yoah not leavin me sight."  
  
"You'se don trust me do you'se?" Spot let out a small laugh confirming Aurora's suspicions. "Like I said Spot, yoah gonna regret dis."  
  
"Why, would ya rathah be sellin wit somebody else?"  
  
"Of coise I would" Aurora replied bluntly, with a slight laugh.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"Reffy."  
  
"Reffy?" Spot laughed again. "You'd end yoah day in da Refuge if you'se sell wit him. We don call him Reffy foah nothin."  
  
"I know that" Aurora looked up at Spot, her eyes twinkling, which Spot had learned was a bad sign. "Well, why do they call you'se Spot? Not a fierce name foah da high and mighty leadah of da Brooklyn newsies" Aurora said in a mocking manner. "What's yoah real name?"  
  
"No" Spot said firmly but also tensing up dome at the question. This was what he was expecting, she was trying to dig into his past, trying to find that way to really hurt him. "We have a strict don ask, don tell policy wit da newsies."  
  
"Good thing I'm not a newsie" Aurora replied, observing Spot's stone cold face. "Well den, I suppose if yoah not gonna tell me, I'll have to find out meself. I like a challenge."  
  
"Oh really" Spot replied. "Ya like a challenge but you'se seem ta dread the prospect of spending an entire day wit me" Aurora only rolled her eyes at this comment. "Fine den, I suppose if yoah goin go poking around, tryin ta get inta my past I'll have ta do some poking around on my own and find out about you'se."  
  
"Theah's only one person who knows anythin about me and I doubt you'll want ta talk wit dem."  
  
"Yeah, well theah's only one person who can tell you'se anythin about me and you'll have ta find dem foist."  
  
"Fine."  
  
"Fine."  
  
"So it's a challenge huh? What do I get if I find out about you'se foist. What do I get if, and when, I win?" Aurora said deviously.  
  
"If you'se win. . ." Spot repeated thoughtfully. "If you'se win ya can leave and I'll nevah bothah you'se again. And if I win?"  
  
"Spot, I don't know what you'se want."  
  
"Well think of what yoah doin as payback foah stealin me cane. If you'se win it's basically like I'm sayin I forget everythin you'se did and yoah debt is repaid."  
  
"Oooh" Aurora said with a nod. "If you'se win I'll pay my debt as a Brooklyn newsie til I'm 18 or yoah no longah leadah. Whichevah comes foist. And. . ." Aurora added semi-reluctantly. "I'll treat you'se with some respect."  
  
"Jus some?"  
  
"As much as I can mustah foah you'se."  
  
"Alright. Deal?" Spot spit on his hand and stuck it out to Aurora.  
  
"Wait. . ." Aurora said thoughtfully, her eyes twinkling again. She looked around, disappointed to see there were still some newsies hanging around. "If I win you'll have ta. . ." and she stood on her tiptoes to whisper something in Spot's ear. She stepped down, grinning her rare grin, and Spot stood there fuming.  
  
"Fine den. If I win den you'se have ta. . ." and he whispered something in Aurora's ear. The grin quickly disappeared from her face and he stepped back to see her face now turning red.  
  
"No. . ." she gasped.  
  
"Oh right. Why should I trust you'se ta keep yoah woid. Yoah jus a thief."  
  
"I may be a thief Spot, but I'm a goil of me honah. It's jus dat. . ." she trailed off.  
  
"Oh, I think I've found something dat da great Aurora feahs" he smirked triumphantly.  
  
"Yeah, well it won't happen. Ya will regret dis Spot, I promise" and she spit in her hand. "It's a deal" she stuck her hand out to Spot. Spot spit on his hand and shook hands with Aurora, each holding eye contact with each other and gripping the others hand quite hard. The game was on. 


	6. Chapter Six: A New Understanding

A/N: hello again! I realize that in the last chapter Aurora might have seemed a little like a Mary-Sue. I apologize for that. I tried really hard to prevent it but it just kinda happened. So what are the secret bets? Well, you're just gonna have to find out! And, I wasn't planning of putting Aurora's past in this early but I felt like things needed to be cleared up a little. Alright, so the accent might have been a little strong, I can never tell. Just tell me if you can't understand it(glares at JustDuck who's bragging about the weather and then looks at the thermometer which reads 34 and a chance of snow). I'm having so much fun writing this and I hope you're having as much fun reading it. Just keep those reviews coming! BTW- Capone is actually pronounced Caponi, just so you know(it is actually how Al Capone's last name should be pronounced). Enough with the random facts, on with the story!  
  
CHAPTER SIX: A NEW UNDERSTANDING  
  
The walk to the distribution wasn't as tense as Aurora and Spot expected it to be. The argument between the two teens had now turned into more of a game, bringing the level of severity down. However, tension was still present because they were two street kids, living without parents, which was a good sign that the had a past behind them they probably wanted to forget about. This challenge they had now created was threatening to put the past they struggled so hard to hide, so close to discovery.  
  
Aurora opted not to speak with Spot on their journey, not only because she found nothing to talk about but because the bet had sparked a repressed memory that kept replaying in her mind. And those words. . . those words he had used, they both had used, echoed in her ears, tormenting her.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Aurora Capone made her way through the filthy streets of Brooklyn to an even filthier tenant. She entered the building and started to climb the flights of stairs, hopping over a sleeper on her way up to the apartment in which she lived. She refused to call the place home because home to her was a warm place where you always felt welcome and was with people who loved you and cared about you. The place she was headed for definitely did not meet those criteria. She finally reached her floor and using her key, opened the door to 9A slowly, so as not to reveal her presence. Deep down inside she prayed that no one was home but luck wasn't normally on her side and today was no different.  
  
"Hello sweet cheeks" she heard the familiar oily voice purr as she closed the door behind her. She froze, standing ridged in her place as she watched her Uncle Giorgio step out from the kitchen, if one could call it that.  
  
"Hello" she said with a swallow. She turned to walk away but he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back towards him, but not turning her towards him.  
  
"Sing foah me sweet cheeks" he leered in her ear, pressing his stubbly cheek against her face. Aurora shivered uncontrollably as he stroked her cheek.  
  
"No" she said firmly as she stood glued to the floor.  
  
"C'mon" he purred again. "Jus one lil song foah yoah poor uncle."  
  
"No" she repeated and brushed his hand away from her face. She pulled herself from his grip and turned to face him. "You'se may be my uncle by blood but yoah not my uncle in any othah way."  
  
"Ya wanna know what happened ta yoah muddah?" he said coldly, grabbing her fiercely by the shoulders. She struggled to free herself from his grasp but his grip was too strong, so of course she had no luck doing so. "Yoah muddah died givin birth ta you'se. Yoah fathah, he didn't want ta take caeah of ya so he left you'se wit me and den he ran off. He didn't caeah about you'se, he didn't love you'se. I took ya in and raised ya from me own pay in my own home. I'm da only one you'se have, da only one who caeah's about ya."  
  
"Da only thing ya caeah about is my body, not me" she snapped back, finally pulling away from him. "Yoah jus a sick asshole" she spat out. Without warning, Giorgio raised his hand and backhanded her across the face. Her cheek stung and she only stared at him.  
  
"Yoah an unappreciative bitch" he growled.  
  
"Good."  
  
"Aw sweet cheeks" he said, his demeanor changing completely. Aurora shivered at the sound of the name. "Ya know I love ya."  
  
"Well I don want ya to! She screamed at him and ran down the hall to the small bathroom. She barely had time to close the squeaky door before she vomited the entire contents of her stomach into the sink. It was the third that week she had vomited, but to her it wasn't strange. In fact, it was oddly normal. Aurora lifted her head out of the sink to look at herself in the cracked mirror. The area bellow her gray eyes looked a little green, her cheeks were flushed, and her hair was a bit frizzy but besides for those aspects she looked alright. She turned on the sink and rinsed it out the best she could before splashing some cold water on her face. She took the ratty towel from the makeshift towel bar and patted her face dry, wiping away the water and the tears.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Aurora? Aurora?" the voice seemed faint and far away, yet it was strangely familiar. It blended in with the leering of her Uncle Giorgio in her ears, and his constant pleas of "sing foah me sweet cheeks."  
  
"NO!" Aurora shouted, covering her ears with her hands and scrunching her eyes shut. "Don't call me dat!"  
  
"Don't what?" Spot asked, looking at Aurora, who had stopped walking, in puzzlement. Aurora slowly opened the eyes she had closed tightly, surprised to see herself in front of a distribution office instead of inside that dirty apartment, and took her hands off her ears. She looked to her side, realizing Spot staring at her and became rigid.  
  
"Nothing" she stammered weakly. She looked him in the eyes, the twinkle and defiance he was so used to seeing, missing from her eyes and in it's place was a new emotion, one Spot hadn't seen in her before, fear.  
  
"Ah you'se ok?" he asked warily and with genuine concern.  
  
"Jus fine" she said half-heartedly and unconvincingly.  
  
"You look. . ." Spot struggled for a word. ". . . conflicted." Aurora blinked and caught his eyes again, receiving a look from Spot that was neither hostile or friendly but understanding.  
  
"Jus livin in my own pain Spot" she replied, this time her voice was stronger and more solid.  
  
"I live it all da time" he said, a corner of his lip slightly curving up in a half smile, that was more sad than happy. From that moment on, things between them changed. It would be an exaggeration to say that Spot and Aurora were now friends but one might say that they had gained something that day. They gained an understanding that connected them in the most bizarre of ways. The challenge no longer a determination of strength or a contest to show who was better but a game to bring back memories, so that they could learn and understand how to forget them. 


	7. Chapter Seven: A Sort of Rescue

A/N-and the diagnosis is. . . I have an ear infection. Oh boy, oh gee, just what I wanted. *growls* But the plus side is for these past three days that I have been out of school I have had time to write! Woohoo!! However I am suffering from pain and guess what? It's supposed to snow tonight. *growls again* damn you and your good weather JustDuck. When it gets down below freezing you can complain. :-D However, I would love to come visit you, is the park still open? Well now that you have been faced with my incessant complaining I will give you what you came for which is. . .  
  
CHAPTER SEVEN: A SORT OF RESCUE  
  
Aurora and Spot walked through the streets of Brooklyn, after stopping at the distribution office, each selling their papers with out as much as a word to their companion.  
  
Aurora kept some distance between her and Spot because that cocky attitude of his, and the bet he had whispered in her ear, was still bothering her to no end. She sold a paper to a man in a business suit which made Aurora to wonder just what was going through hi head, and what it would be like to lead a life like his, to lead a normal life. A life where every morning you didn't have to worry if you would eat or not, every night you knew you would have a warm place to sleep and you didn't have to fear the terrors of the night. A life that Aurora would never have the pleasure of knowing. She turned to look at Spot, who was selling a few papers. She knew that the two of them were similar in a way, even though they seemed so different. Though they might have led a some what normal life at some point in time they were both no outsiders to a world of warmth. They were the dirty faces pressed against the clean glass window, looking in at the fire and the happy family sitting in front of it. And they were both still running from something. Aurora knew it. And no matter how firmly she grasped the concept that they were alike, he still got on her nerves.  
  
"Hey theah sweet cheeks" Aurora's thoughts were swiftly broken by the oily voice she hadn't heard in years, and wasn't planning on hearing ever again. Her body went rigid and she dropped what was left of her papes into the dirt of the streets. "Wheah ya been all dis time?" he leered from behind her. Aurora's eyes darted around, searching for Spot who right now, as much as she detested the concept, she needed. "Why'd ya leave me sweet cheeks?" he continued on. At that moment Spot came into her vision, selling a paper to an old man.  
  
"Spot" she gritted through clenched teeth. Spot looked over at Aurora as Giorgio began to stroke her cheek. "Help me."  
  
"So sweet cheeks" Giorgio said, unaware of a now enraged Spot stalking over to him. "Yoah gonna come home wit me and ya won't try dat stunt again, ya heah" Giorgio was cut short as Spot's balled up fist connected with his bony jaw.  
  
"Ya leave her alone" he growled at Giorgio who had taken his hand off of Aurora's face and stumbled back in shock. "Ya keep yoah filthy paws off of her."  
  
"And who ah you'se ta tell me such stuff?" Giorgio threatened, taking a step forward.  
  
"Someone who knows how ta treat a goil properly" Spot snarled back before punching Giorgio in the gut a few times an then back in the face. "So leave her alone and don come back."  
  
"Ya dumb bastard" Giorgio growled in pain, rolling up his sleeves. "I'm takin watch a her."  
  
"No, yoah not" Spot kicked Giorgio a few times, causing him to wince in pain. "I am. Now leave her alone unless ya want ta face me and my boys" Spot threatened, with a look in his eyes of pure murder. It was this look that sent Giorgio running down the street without as much as a glance behind him. Spot wiped some of the blood off his hands on his shirt and turned to where Aurora had been standing. However, she wasn't there anymore. Spot began looking around for her hastily in genuine concern and finally spotted her familiar form hunched over in an alley. He jogged over to the alley and stopped next to her. She slowly looked up at him, hearing him approach, her face pale and clammy and her eyes wide. One of her hands was clenched on her stomach and the other was braced on a box. Her eyes shifted downwards and Spot followed her gaze down to the puddle of vomit she stood over. Without speaking he gently led her to a crate and sat her down, then he sat on the crate next to her, letting her breath.  
  
"Every time he said dat name ta me" she began suddenly, staring at her black boots. "Every time he touched me it would make me sick. It still does."  
  
"I'm sorry" Spot said, not knowing what else to say.  
  
"Why'd ya do it?" Aurora asked suddenly. "Why'd ya help me?"  
  
"No one should jus stand by and watch someone get hoit without steppin in."  
  
"But some people do."  
  
"Ya know" Spot said with a slight smile. "I may be da leadah of Brooklyn, and I might have an ego dat's too big foah my head but even I have limits Aurora. I'm not about ta stand by and watch someone get abused if I know dat I can prevent it, especially if it's someone I know."  
  
"And ya said yoah takin watch of me. . ."  
  
"Well someone has too."  
  
"I can watch myself" she demanded but Spot gave her a look that made her think otherwise. She looked over at him and sighed. "Well. . . thanks."  
  
"Dat's what I'm heah foah" he said with a laugh that soon faded. "I can't do di ta you'se" he let out with a sigh.  
  
"Can't what?" she asked in surprise.  
  
"Aurora, I saw da look on yoah face as he stroked ya" when Spot said this Aurora shivered involuntarily. "You weah scared and we both know it. Now I can't let myself dive inta dat past of yoahs if ya feah it" Aurora looked at him, forehead wrinkled in comprehension. "I can't do dis" he said again.  
  
"Ya backing out on da bet?" she asked him.  
  
"No, I jus. . ." he opened his mouth, closed it, and then opened it again, formulating what he was going to say. "I know feah Aurora and I saw it in you'se. Ta be honest, ya don't seem like the type ta get scared easily and I know dat dis guy scared you'se. When I see someone strong, getting frightened, dat's when I know I'm in too deep."  
  
"Dat's real nice of you'se and all Spot but I can't let ya jus back out like dat" Spot turned to Aurora, his head tilted in confusion. "Don give me dat look. Da deal's still on Conlon."  
  
"Well I'm not gonna dive inta yoah past if ya feah it and if it involves dat bastard. "He said flatly.  
  
"Fine" Aurora looked up thoughtfully. "Find out my full name. . . and what it takes ta make me smile. Bonus points if ya can make me smile."  
  
"And yoah trying ta find out my real name?" Spot prompted.  
  
"And wheah ya come from."  
  
"Alright, I can do dat."  
  
"Good" Aurora turned to Spot, a soft look in her eyes. "Hey Spot?"  
  
"Yeah?" he said, turning to face her.  
  
"Thanks" she said again. Spot nodded his head slowly with an understanding smile.  
  
"What ah friends foah?"  
  
"'Ey! I nevah said we weah friends" Aurora exclaimed getting up. "Don be gettin ahead of yoahself heah."  
  
"Whatevah ya say Princess" he joked and Aurora shot him an irritated glare. "Well, if we'ah not friends, den what ah we?"  
  
"We'ah" Aurora began before stopping. "Y'know, I'm not quite shoah. I'll get back ta ya on dat" Spot laughed, shaking his head and the two of them headed back out into the streets of Brooklyn. 


	8. Chapter Eight: Spring Confessions

A/N-yay! Another chapter!! And if you're wondering my ear has gotten better! I wrote this chapter in the car as we took my brother back to college (y'know his roommate is kinda cute). Haha, but anyway, if it seems a little weird that's because I wasn't in my full writing mood. It's also a little on the short side. . . But I did watch newsies last night :-D. That helped! Thank you for my loverly reviews, I just love them! So if you keep reviewing, I'll keep writing and we'll all be one big happy family. Woohoo! Now, on with the story  
  
CHAPTER EIGHT: SPRING CONFESSIONS  
  
Spot and Aurora made their way to the apartment that Aurora had "borrowed" so she could change her clothes and get some stuff to bring back to the warehouse for the time being. He followed her to an alley, the same alley she had been dragged from yesterday, and she headed to the fire escape.  
  
"Stay theah" she ordered as she began to climb up.  
  
"How do I know you'll come back?"  
  
"Yoah gonna have ta trust me" she climbed to the first platform and looked down at him. "Plus, I got a bet ta keep" Spot nodded and watched her climb some more and then slip into a window and out of his sight. He sighed and began pacing back and forth in front of the fire escape.  
  
"Could ya stop?" a small voice piped up. Spot looked around in surprise and spotted a small girl leaning up against one of the brick walls. "Yoah makin me dizzy."  
  
"Who ah you'se" Spot demanded after he had stopped pacing.  
  
"Dey call me Spring" she said, stepping forward. Spot could now see her short, dirty blonde hair that stopped at her chin and shifty green eyes. Her clothes were slightly tattered and dirty but he didn't expect more from a street kid. "I suppose yoah Spot Conlon" she said, sizing him up.  
  
"Dat I am" he said in a cocky manner. "How would you'se know?"  
  
"Everybody's hoid of you'se" she said. "Well most everybody on da streets have."  
  
"Well Aurora hadn't."  
  
"She makes shoah that she only associates wit as few people as possible" Spot raised an eyebrow. "The less people she knows, the hardah to get caught."  
  
"Oh" Spot nodded. "But you'se street thieves know each othah. . ."  
  
"Ya know, newsies ain't da only organized group around heah" she rolled her eyes. "You'll find bunches of street kids round heah. And we all keep in touch, foah security reasons. We got thieves, sweat shop kids, factory kids, ya name em, we got em. But we don have any newsies."  
  
"Coise not."  
  
"I suppose dat would be yoah job, watchin ovah da newsies. So, yoah Spot Conlon" Spring began to smile. "And heah I was thinkin Bandit was only good at stealin."  
  
"Bandit?"  
  
"Aurora. . ." Spring said slowly.  
  
"Oh" Spot replied again dumbly, not liking the girl's tone.  
  
"Kinda weird dat you'se don know much about her. But I suppose ya wouldn't' if it's jus a one night thing."  
  
"A one night thing?" Spot let out a laugh. "So dat's what ya think is goin on. No, ya see, Aurora's in my debt."  
  
"Oh really? Foah what?"  
  
"She stole my cane."  
  
"Dat sounds just like her. Smaht goil" Spring laughed. "So, why ah ya hangin round heah jus cause she asked you'se too if she's in yoah debt?"  
  
"Well, we gots a kinda bet goin on too" Spot looked at Spring thoughtfully. "Say, ya seem ta know Aurora pretty well."  
  
"She taught me da tricks of da trade" Spring boasted.  
  
"What can you'se tell me bout her?"  
  
"Hang on jus one second heah" Spring held up her hand. "I don jus go round telling random people bout Bandit jus cause they'ah askin bout her" she stroked her chin. "What's in it foah me?"  
  
"Foah you'se?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I dunno" Spot shrugged. "What do you'se want?"  
  
"I want. . ." Spring looked up at the sky in thought. "I want a brand new outfit wit brand new matchin shoes. It's hard ta steal clothes" she explained.  
  
"Done" Spot spit on his hand and the two spit shook.  
  
"What do you'se want ta know bout Bandit?"  
  
"What's her full name?"  
  
"Aurora. . ." Spring stopped. "Wait, why do you'se want ta know dese things?"  
  
"It's foah our bet" he explained. Spring nodded and continued.  
  
"Her full name is Aurora Marie Capone" she replied. "Anythin else?"  
  
"Yeah, how do you'se. . ." Spot began but was cut off by Aurora's voice.  
  
"Well I see you've met Spring, Spot" she called from the platform she was standing on.  
  
"Dat I have" he replied in an annoyed tone. Aurora bounded down the fire escape, carrying a pillowcase stuffed with supplies and wearing a pair of black pants that were torn so they only stopped at the knee, a white undershirt with an unbuttoned red short-sleeved blouse over it, and her boots. After she got to the bottom, she dropped the case and embraced her friend.  
  
"Hey theah Spring" she said, her eyes sparkling as she let go. "How ah you'se holdin up?"  
  
"Fine, jus fine" Spring grinned and looked from Aurora to Spot. "Now I don wanna be keeping you'se two from yoah plans. Run along now" Aurora rolled her eyes and picked the case up again.  
  
"Let's go drop dis off" she said looking at Spot.  
  
"Alright" he said reluctantly. "Den we can go eat. I know dis good place in Manhattan."  
  
"Fine" Aurora turned back to Spring. "Please take caeah of my place foah me."  
  
"Shoah, shoah" Spring replied. Aurora nodded and headed out of the alley.  
  
"Meet me heah tonight at ten" Spot hissed to Spring before sauntering off after Aurora. Spring grinned to herself before climbing up the fire escape and slipping away into a window. 


	9. Chapter Nine: Tibby's

A/N-I have good news! I think that there's only gonna be like 10 more chapters to this story. I know that sounds like a lot but that's good news for me because I can actually see the end of this story in the near future and it will be my first fan fic I will have ever finished. Go me!!! So right now I'm totally stoked because 1-I just finished watching the X Games, although I was a little pissed that Shaun White didn't compete cause he kicks ass but Fisher kicked ass too and 2-I think I'm gonna actually finish a fan fic! So, keep the encouragement coming! It'll make me want to finish this(not that I already don't but you get the picture). So, here it comes. . .  
  
CHAPTER NINE: TIBBY'S  
  
"So" Aurora questioned, as she and Spot crossed over the Brooklyn bridge, after they had stopped by the warehouse so that Aurora might deposit her possessions. "Tell me why we'ah goin ta Manhattan?"  
  
"So we can eat" Spot replied in a manner that made it seem like the answer should have been obvious.  
  
"I know dat" Aurora rolled her eyes. But why not eat somewheah in Brooklyn. Why ah you'se draggin me all da way ta Manhattan jus foah some food?"  
  
"It's not jus foah food" Spot confessed. "I gots friends, othah newsies, in Manhattan and I normally eat wit dem."  
  
"So I'm jus extra baggage?"  
  
"Basically" Spot smirked and then ducked as Aurora took a playfully wild swing at his head.  
  
"You'se ah such an ass" Aurora growled in a playful manner. "I can't wait til I humilate you'se when I win da bet" Spot just smiled to himself, knowing that right now he was winning, and possibly by ten-ish tonight, he would know everything and he would be able to win.  
  
"You go ahead and think dat" Spot replied eventually, as he turned a corner. After they passed a few shops they came to a diner named Tibby's, and Spot pulled the door open for Aurora.  
  
"I can open my own doors" she hissed at him as she walked through. Spot sighed and followed her in, glad to see the familiar faces of the Manhattan newsies, even if they were all staring at Aurora. "Have dese guys nevah seen a goil befoah?" she whispered again to Spot. He laughed and turned to a booth where a young man with a cowboy hat and a red bandanna was sitting.  
  
"Hey theah Jacky-boy" Spot said, spitting in his hand.  
  
"Heya Spot" Jack replied, doing likewise. He then looked up at Aurora, who was giving him a look that didn't make him feel completely comfortable. "New goil?"  
  
"Her?" Spot let out a laugh. "Nah."  
  
"Prospective girl?" asked a boy with bright blue eyes and curlyish brown hair, who was sitting across from Jack.  
  
"Not in dis lifetime" Aurora sneered, squeezing into the booth next to the boy who had spoken. Spot pulled up a chair.  
  
"Dis heah is Aurora" Spot began. "Or Bandit" Aurora shot Spot a look of confusion and he only grinned.  
  
"Jack" said Jack. "Or Cowboy if ya prefer and sat's Davey" he motioned to the boy sitting next to her. Aurora nodded her head.  
  
"So, what are you doing in these parts?" Davey asked her.  
  
"Scoutin possible customahs" Aurora replied, her eyes twinkling.  
  
"Oh?" asked Jack. "Yoah not a newsie?"  
  
"Do I look like a newsie?" Aurora sneered at him, in demeaning manner towards newsies.  
  
"Den what do you'se do?" he asked, in an equally haughty manner.  
  
"I'm. . ."  
  
"Nothin of interest" Spot cut in, glaring at Aurora in a way that was meant to warn her, and it almost did.  
  
"So why's she with you Spot?" Davey asked.  
  
"We did business" Spot replied truthfully, although Jack got the wrong impression.  
  
"Oh, so dat's how it is" he grinned and Aurora rolled her eyes.  
  
"Jack" she said huskily, leaning across the table towards him. "I'd love ta do business wit you'se. I think you've got something dat's of interest ta me" she eyes his hat, but Jack didn't notice, still taking it in the wrong way. Spot pushed Aurora back into her seat.  
  
"Will you'se stop it? Yoah not funny" he snapped, and her eyes sparkled, the corner of her lip twitched, but of course she didn't smile,  
  
"Ya almost got me theah" she confessed, as Jack and Davey looked on in confusion.  
  
"I don get it" Jack said, looking back and forth between the two Brooklynites.  
  
"Jack. . ." Aurora began, in her normal voice. "I want yoah. . ."  
  
"She wants yoah hat Jack" Spot finished in a flat tone and Aurora's eyes shifted guiltily.  
  
"My what?" he asked in surprise.  
  
"Your hat, I believe" Davey replied and Aurora nodded.  
  
"Ya see Jack" she said in a matter-of-fact tone. "I'm not a newsie and I'm not a whore. I'm a thief."  
  
"A thief?" Jack repeated.  
  
"Yes, a thief" Spot said flatly. "And an annoyin one at dat."  
  
"Then how exactly did you do business?" Davey asked thoughtfully.  
  
"I stole his cane" Aurora said, a glimmer in her eyes.  
  
"Den I caught her" Spot cut in, so as to clear up any suspicion that it was possible to steal from him.  
  
"If I'm not mistaken" Aurora leaned in close to Spot. "You'se had ta send out yoah goons ta get it back from me, meanin you'se couldn't catch me yoahself. Now why might dat be?" Spot pushed her away with a glare and then he diverted his attention to Jack.  
  
"I gots ta talk wit you'se" he said forcefully. Jack nodded, and the two leaders got up from the table and headed outside, leaving Aurora with Davey and the rest of the newsies.  
  
"So you're a thief. . ." Davey prompted, no knowing what else to say. Aurora turned and looked at him, and indescribable look in her cold eyes that made Davey uncomfortable.  
  
"Yeah. So what?" she snapped. "What's it to ya?"  
  
"Nothing" Davey held up his hands in defense. "I didn't mean to offend you."  
  
"Coise not" Aurora nodded. She looked Davey in the eyes, making him feel like she was reading his thoughts and in a way, she was. "Yoah not like da rest of da boys heah" she said bluntly.  
  
"What. . . what makes you say that?" he stammered in surprise.  
  
"Lack of street accent, good vocabulary" she picked at his vest. "Da clothes and yoah eyes."  
  
"My eyes?" he asked, in confusion. But before Aurora could explain, Bill came up to them to take their orders and the conversation drifted away from that to food. Aurora and Davey sat, ate, and talked together for about ten minutes until Spot and Jack returned, both grinning, Spot in a way that Aurora didn't like.  
  
"I'm headin back" Spot informed her as they approached the table. "Jack heah said yoah welcome ta stay with da Manhattan newsies foah da rest of da day."  
  
"Dat' very considerate" Aurora replied, shooting Spot a look that said 'what are you up to now?' "But I'll come wit you'se Spot" she raised her eyebrows, daring him to challenge her.  
  
"Fine" he said, to her surprise. "You'se can come. Although, I'm shoah what I need ta get done will bore you'se outta yoah mind."  
  
"I'm jus keeping my eye on you'se" she said bluntly and Spot smirked. "Thank you'se foah da lovely conversation" she said, turning to Davey. "We should do it again sometime."  
  
"Alright" Davey agreed as Aurora stood.  
  
"Bye Jack" Spot said.  
  
"Bye ya Spot" he replied. "Aurora" he said with a nod and a smile that confused and made her a little hesitant.  
  
"Bye. . ." Aurora and Spot headed to the door and Aurora leaned toward Spot and whispered in his ear. "Whatevah yoah up ta Spot, I will find out."  
  
"Shoah ya will" he hissed back, pushing the door open. "But by den it'll be too late" he walked through, not holding the door open for Aurora, so it almost closed on her face. She pushed it open with a scowl and glared at Spot, who was laughing.  
  
"Jus ya wait Spot Conlon" she growled, as they headed to the bridge.  
  
"I don have time ta wait" he smirked and Aurora knitted her brow in a cross between fury and confusion. This game was getting out of control. 


	10. Chapter Ten: A little bit more

A/N-I bet I know what you're thinking. Another chapter already? Yup, another chapter. Go me! One more chapter closer to finishing my first fic. And pmochizuki is right, many authors don't finish their fics *looks down at all her unfinished, half started fics and blushes in shame* Yes, I am guilty of that horrible crime too. But it is time to redeem myself. Plus, I'm only concentrating on a few fics at a time so I have a bigger chance of getting them finished! Y'know what, to be completely honest, I'm not even completely sure what the secret bet is. I have an idea, but it's just that, an idea. I'm sure I'll make something of it. I know, I know, you can't wait to see what's gonna happen. So, I'm done rambling and I'll give you what you came for(which sadly isn't reading all this pointless mumbo jumbo) and that's. . .  
  
CHAPTER TEN: A LITTLE BIT MORE  
  
It was 9:30 when Spot left the warehouse because he had some business to attend to before he met up with Spring. He headed in the opposite direction of his meeting place, arriving at a run down tenement. He pushed the door open and climbed up two flights of stairs, then headed down the hall to 2E. About thirty seconds after he knocked, the door opened a crack and two big brown eyes were visible.  
  
"Whadda ya want?" a fierce female voice demanded.  
  
"Now now Stitch" Spot said calmly. "It's only me, da infamous Spot Conlon."  
  
"Spot!" she exclaimed. The door closed and Spot could hear a latch being undone before the door opened all the way, revealing a tall, very skinny girl with those big brown eyes and flat, shoulder length brown hair. "Gawd it's good ta see ya. Come on in" she gestured into the shabby apartment and Stitch closed the door and locked it behind him after he had stepped inside.  
  
"Heya Stitch" he said with a grin as he followed her to an ratty looking wood table where they each took seats in unstable wooden chairs.  
  
"Ya haven't dropped by in a long time" she commented, looking across the table at him. "What do ya need?"  
  
"I need a favor."  
  
"What kinda favah?" she asked skeptically.  
  
"I made a deal wit a goil" he began and Stitch rolled her eyes. "I promised her a new outfit and new shoes ta match."  
  
"Dat's a hahd promise ta keep."  
  
"Dat's wheah you'se come in" he explained.  
  
"Dis ain't a favah Spot" she replied strongly. "Dis is a job."  
  
"Fine" he relented. "I'll pay ya."  
  
"How much?"  
  
"How evah much it is" he continued. "I'll send her by yoah place so you'se can take her measurements and stuff. Give her what she wants, but she only gets a top, a bottom, and shoes. Make shoah she undahstands dat."  
  
"Must be come deal if yoah doin all dis."  
  
"Oh trust me" he smirked as he got up. "It is" Stitch also got up and followed Spot to the door. "Her name's Spring and she'll probably be around tomorrow" Stitch nodded. "Oh. . .and Stitch" Spot said as he unlocked the door.  
  
"Yeah?" she asked.  
  
"Thanks" he stepped out into the hall.  
  
"Anytime" she smiled and Spot headed out of the building and back into the street. He then headed towards the alley, arriving a little after ten.  
  
"Yoah late" he heard Spring say, before she stepped out of the shadows, crossing her arms.  
  
"Yeah, well I had othah things ta do foist" he replied coldly.  
  
"Of coise" she nodded her head. "Let's get down ta business. Wheah ah my clothes?"  
  
"Theah's a sowing shop six blocks away called 'Anne's Clothes.' Ask foah Stitch, tell her I sent you'se. She'll know what ta do."  
  
"Alright" Spring said with a smile. "And you'se had one moah thing. . ."  
  
"Yeah" he grinned. "How do you'se get Aurora ta smile.  
  
"Woah theah" Spring exclaimed in shock, holding up her hands. "Now I didn't know you'd be askin dat."  
  
"Yeah. . . so?" Spot asked in a cocky manner.  
  
"Ya see" Spring began. "Bandit doesn't smile much foah a reason. Her life has been such a hell ta her dat she hahdly finds reason ta smile. She says why smile when theah's nothin woith smiling foah."  
  
"So theah's no way ta get her ta smile" Spot stated in a dejected tone, starting to worry that maybe he wasn't so close to winning after all.  
  
"I nevah said dat" Spring smiled at him in a mischievous manner. "It's jus dat me telling you'se how ta get her ta smile is woith a whole lot moah den new clothes and shoes."  
  
"What?!" Spot exclaimed in fury. "What moah could you'se possibly ask foah?"  
  
"Dis" Spring grabbed Spot by his shirt and pulled him close to her, pressing her lips against his. At first Spot started to pull back in shock but a new thought ran through his head.  
  
"Hell" he thought to himself. "If this is all it's gonna take to get her to tell me, why not?" To the surprise of Spring, he began to kiss her back, slipping his arm around her waist and pulling her closer to him. After about a minute, he decided that was enough and pulled away, pushing Spring back a little.  
  
"Is dat good enough?" he asked, his voice dripping with ice.  
  
"Yeah" Spring grinned. "I couldn't ask foah moah. Well I could but. . ."  
  
"My answer" Spot growled, getting impatient.  
  
"Right" Spring nodded. "How ta get Bandit ta smile. Now dat's a tough one foah shoah."  
  
"Stop stallin."  
  
"Fine" Spring sighed and then began. "Theah ah only two times dat Bandit will smile. One is right befoah she's about ta steal somethin she really likes. I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't smile right befoah she stole from you'se."  
  
"And da othah?"  
  
"Dis one's a bit tougher" Spring went on. "And a little hahd ta explain. Ya see, she only told dis ta me once, so Ill tell you'se what I remember. I believe she said dat da only othah way ta get her ta smile is ta care" Spot lifted an eyebrow in confusion. "Well, ya see, no one's evah really cared foah her. Not her dad, or her uncle. Nobody. Dat's why she'd usually so cold towards guys. But da way ta get her ta smile is ta show dat you'se really care about her, dat you'se do need her and she's not jus hangin around dis world foah no reason. Spot, if yoah gonna make her smile, yoah gonna have ta show her dat you'se care about her."  
  
"Shit" Spot said after an awkward silence. "Dis won't be easy."  
  
"Da best help I can offah you'se is ta jus be a true gentleman" Spring said with a shrug. "Besides dat, yoah on yoah own."  
  
"Yeah" Spot nodded to himself. "Thanks Spring."  
  
"No" she smiled deviously. "Thank you" then after flashing Spot a smile, she climbed up the fire escape and once again disappeared through a window while down below Spot grinned to himself. He was going to win. 


	11. Chapter Eleven: A Little Surprise

A/N-I am on a roll!! Another chapter!! Woohoo!! Alright, just to let you know, until I get this fic done I will be solely focusing on finishing it. So that should make you guys happy, knowing that I am "pledging" myself to this story. Honestly, I'm excited. I love writing this story and I'm gonna swell with pride when I finally finish. Plus, I have this really great idea for another story that I'm gonna start after this one's done. And it's gonna have a CC, I hope to be hearing from all of you, my loyal reviewers. And just because you guys have been so loyal I'm giving you each a chocolate covered Spot! Oh right, and shout outs too(I'll try and catch up)!  
  
TheLoneReed-thank you for all your support!!!!!  
  
Pmochizuki-remember back in chapter seven, after Giorgio comes, she tells Spot he only has to find out her real name and what it takes to make her smile, bonus points if he can make her smile. If Spot is to find out anymore about her past, I suppose he'll find out from Aurora.  
  
JustDuck-ew, of course she didn't see them smooching. That is overdone and I didn't even think about that. Haha, he's twiterpated, haha. I suppose he is.:-D  
  
Bekh-I love reading your reviews! They make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside! You rock my satin boxers *muah*  
  
CHAPTER ELEVEN: A LITTLE SURPRISE  
  
While Spot was hit his rendezvous with Spring, Aurora opted to stay at the warehouse, not really interested in whatever business Spot had to attend to. She sat on her sleeping pad, observing the activity that was taking place. There were a few poker games going on and a few couples were taking advantage of the free time. A few of the younger boys were fighting with sticks and two of the girls stood in a corner, whispering and laughing to each other.  
  
"Enjoyin yoahself?" Aurora looked up to see one of the older girls, with brown wavy hair and blue eyes. She wasn't short, but she wasn't tall, and she looked surprisingly well nourished. She wore a pair of brown slacks and an unbuttoned men's red shirt, over a white shirt.  
  
"I'm ok" Aurora said with a shrug. The girl sat down on Reffy's sleeping pad, and looked intently at Aurora.  
  
"Da name's Riot" she introduced herself, with a small smile.  
  
"Aurora" Aurora hesitated for a moment. ". . . or Bandit."  
  
"Nice ta have ya wit us" Riot remarked. Aurora raised an eyebrow, prompting Riot to get on with whatever she had to say. "Yoah a lucky goil Bandit."  
  
"I am?" Aurora questioned in surprise. "How's dat?"  
  
"How's dat?" Riot repeated, shocked that Aurora didn't know. "Why cause of Spot, dat's how."  
  
"What's Spot got ta do wit it?"  
  
"You'se must be blind or somethin" Riot said with a short laugh. "Spot's got everythin ta do wit it."  
  
"Den what is it?" Aurora asked, feeling very confused, which was a feeling she didn't particularly like.  
  
"Gee, yoah not too smart, ah you'se?" Aurora's eyes went wide with a mixture of shock and anger as Riot carried on. "Spot's got a little thing foah you'se, dat's what it is."  
  
"What ah you'se talkin bout?" Aurora spat out, almost in disgust. "I've only known him a day."  
  
"Sometimes, dat's all it takes" Riot explained.  
  
"I think yoah wrong."  
  
"I know Spot. He wouldn't waste his time teachin you'se ta sell or waste his breath on insultin you'se if he didn't like you'se. I watched him since he got back dis aftahnoon and da way you'se guys act togethah."  
  
"Dat's bull shit" Aurora denied, shaking her head.  
  
"Think what you'se want" Riot smiled. "Howevah, I should warn you'se. . . at one point, ya will like him."  
  
"I will not."  
  
"It's not really a choice. Ya see, every goil who's evah been a Brooklyn newsie undah da command of Spot, has liked him. Even me."  
  
"Oh really" Aurora asked skeptically. "But you'se don't now. . ."  
  
"Coise not" Riot remarked.  
  
"How did you'se stop?"  
  
"Simple. One dat wit Spot is all it takes. Not dat he's not a nice guy or anything like dat. In fact, he's a great guy. But da thing is, ya like him jus because. . . well it's Spot. You'se don need a reason. And aftah one night wit him, you'se realize, ya don need him. Aftah dat. . . thing's between you'se and him ah completely business or friendships."  
  
"So. . . he don like you'se back" Aurora clarified.  
  
"Dat's right."  
  
"And what if he does?"  
  
"Dat's what makes you'se luck Bandit" Riot said, standing up.  
  
"How's dat?"  
  
"Well, we don know what happens when he actually likes a goil" Riot grinned. "It's nevah happened befoah" with that Riot headed over to a poker game that was just starting up, leaving Aurora sitting on her sleeping pad, in shock.  
  
"You'se ok theah?" a voice interrupted her jumbled thoughts. Reffy sat down on his sleeping pad, his shaggy brown hair falling in his face, looking intently at Aurora.  
  
"Yeah. . ." she said hesitantly.  
  
"Ya need ta get out moah" he said, repeating her words from last night. She rolled her eyes. "What's da mattah?"  
  
"Jus got da Spot speech."  
  
"Ah" he said, his voice filled with recognition, and a hint of humor. "Da Spot speech. I suppose dat can be a shock. Someone tells you'se dat yoah gonna like him. It's funny ta see da goils who denied it aftah hearin it when dey realize dey like him" Reffy grinned to himself and then turned to Aurora. "Don worry. It'll all be ovah soon."  
  
"It bettah" she growled. "Hey Reffy? What do you'se know about Spot?"  
  
"What do ya mean?"  
  
"Like, what do you'se know about his past?" Aurora clarified.  
  
"His past?" Reffy laughed. "Spot's a very sheltered kid when it comes ta his past. I suppose we all ah. No one but Jack Kelly and Flash Reinhardt know anything bout it. And even dey don't know dat much."  
  
"Jack?!?!" Aurora exclaimed, jumping up.  
  
"Woah theah" Reffy grabbed her hand and pulled her back down. "You'se can't go out inta da streets at dis time. Espeacially not da streets of Brooklyn. You'se should know dat" she nodded reluctantly.  
  
"Yoah still holdin me hand" she pointed out, looking down at their hands.  
  
"Ya got a problem wit dat?" he challenged her.  
  
"Guess not" she said, adjusting her hand so their fingers were now intertwined. She then looked up into Reffy's face, who had an unreadable expression. "Riot said dat Spot's got a thing foah me."  
  
"I don think so" Reffy said with a small laugh, keeping eye contact with Aurora. "Riot's nuts. Ya shouldn't believe her."  
  
"But I should believe you'se."  
  
"I would like it if ya did" he admitted in an almost sheepish manner.  
  
"I suppose I could give it a try" she joked. Reffy smiled slightly, and leaned forward. He kissed Aurora lightly on the lips and then pulled away.  
  
"I half expected you'se ta hit me" he laughed.  
  
"I have my limits" she said, and she put her head on his shoulder. Reffy put his arm around Aurora's shoulder, smiling slightly to himself.  
  
At about 10:30, Aurora woke up, surprised to find herself in the arms of Reffy. After remembering what had happened earlier, she nodded her head and looked up, finding that Reffy was still awake.  
  
"Have a nice nap?" he asked with a smile.  
  
"It was lovely" the door to the warehouse creaked open, letting in a stream of moonlight that was soon blocked by the recognizable form of Spot. Aurora sighed to herself and watched as he crossed the floor, not at all surprised when he stopped in front of her and Reffy.  
  
"Oh" he commented, raising an eyebrow. "And what's goin on heah?"  
  
"I'm shoah it's bettah den what evah business you'se had ta attend to" she snapped back.  
  
"If you'se only knew what I was doing" he taunted.  
  
"I don't want ta know" Aurora retorted.  
  
"But ya will" Spot said softly, as he walked off, but loud enough for Aurora and Reffy to hear him.  
  
"What'd he mean by dat?" Reffy asked in puzzlement.  
  
"I don't know, nor do I care" she muttered, snuggling closer to Reffy, who had pulled a blanket over the two of them. She closed her eyes contently, her mind blank, including all thoughts of the bet.  
  
In his room, Spot peeled off his shirt and suspenders, grinning to himself, although a little confused. He got into his bed, and unlike Aurora, the only thought on his mind was the bet and how he had just about won. However, he was going to have to make her smile and the present situation suddenly made things look very complicated. 


	12. Chapter Twelve: Perfect, just perfect

A/N-hehe, I love reading your reviews!! I absolutely adore them!! It's so great to have so much support. Ya know that warm and fuzzy feeling? That's how I feel when I read my reviews!! Hehe. So anywho, I got this chapter done at 1:00 this morning. . . I was surprised that I even finished it. . . oh well. It's a little on the short side. . . but it's not pointless. Actually, I think it might be my shortest chapter ever. Oh well, it's short to match me! It's also mischievous, just like me. Hehehehe. Alrighty, on with the story!  
  
CHAPTER TWELVE: PERFECT, JUST PERFECT  
  
Spot left the warehouse surprisingly early the next morning. In fact, it was so early that no one else in the warehouse was awake and when he stepped outside the sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon. On his way to the bridge he stopped at the docks, his docks, the Brooklyn newsies docks, making sure they were in good condition. He smiled to himself, everything looked just perfect. Spot then began his journey over the bridge and into Jack's territory. By time he reached the newsboy lodging house, it was about the time that the newsies of Manhattan would be rising.  
  
"Good morning Mr. Conlon" Kloppman greeted the Brooklyn leader in a surprised, but cheery tone.  
  
"Heya Kloppman" Spot replied to the old man. "I'm jus gonna head up. Business" Kloppman nodded in understanding and Spot headed upstairs to the very busy and crowded bunkroom.  
  
"Spot!" Race exclaimed with enthusiasm. "Yoah a little late. Ya see, da pokah game ended last. . ."  
  
"Shaddup Race" Spot cut him off, almost in an irritated way. Race made a face at Spot's back and Spot looked around, finally catching sight of a red bandanna, Jack.  
  
"Hey Jacky-boy" Spot greeted in his normal tone.  
  
"Spot. . ." Jack said in surprise. "Ta what do I owe da hona?"  
  
"Theah's gonna be a dock pahty tanight" Spot informed him with a grin.  
  
"A dock pahty?"  
  
"Yeah, a dock pahty" Spot repeated for his friend. "Live entahtainment and enough goils ta keep you'se happy da rest of yoah life and beyond."  
  
"Sounds great" Jack replied with a grin to match Spot's. "I'm shoah theah's gonna be moah den jus dat. . ." Jack prompted.  
  
"Yeah, theah will be. Everythin went jus great last nigh. It was jus poifect. I got everythin woiked out foah tanight. Yoah boys bettah be theah."  
  
"We wouldn't dare miss it" Jack looked at his friend and the two leaders grinned. It was going to be a party to remember, in more ways then one.  
  
"Well if it isn't Spot Conlon" a silky girl's voice said. Spot turned around to see a short girl with short black hair and fierce dark eyes, her right hand was wrapped in a bandage.  
  
"Hey theah Scorch" he replied, still smiling.  
  
"I couldn't help but ovah heah you'se two" she commented. "And I noticed ya invited Jack and his boys. But you'se said nothin bout da goils."  
  
"Dat's because. . ." Spot fumbled for an excuse. "Dat's because I was gonna ask you'se poisonally ta invite da goils. If ya wouldn't mind dat is."  
  
"We'd love ta be theah" Scorch said, a small smile creeping over her mouth. "I jus hope there'll be as many boys theah as you'se say theah will be goils."  
  
"Of coise theah will be" Spot promised as he headed back to the stairs. "Well, I'll be seeing you'se guys. . ." he looked over at Scorch who was scowling slightly. "And goils tanight" and with a tip of his hat, Spot bounded down the stairs and out of the door, off to make the rest of the arrangements that would ensure that everything would be just perfect for tonight. 


	13. Chapter Thirteen: Il Pugno Nero

A/N-so yesterday I have no school. . . cause it rained. . . oooook. I think our school board is on crack or something. I mean really! So, while I was enjoying my rainy day off I wrote chapter fourteen too and that makes me happy! And in history we're starting the industrial revolution. I think I'm gonna ask my teacher if we can learn about the newsie strike, and possibly watch newsies. . . hehehe. Anywho, here's the next chapter!(wow, I'm on chapter thirteen! This kicks ass!)  
  
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: IL PUGNO NERO  
  
Aurora woke up, still in Reffy's arms, surprised she hadn't been awaken by Spot. Ever so gently she tried to pull herself out of Reffy's grip but had no such luck.  
  
"Wha?" he asked groggily as he began to stir.  
  
"Nothin" she replied, almost in a gentle manner. "It's just me."  
  
"Oh" a smile crept over Reffy's lips before he opened his eyes. "Well den, good mornin."  
  
"Mornin" Aurora stifled a yawn and then stood up.  
  
"Wheah ah you'se goin?" Reffy asked, also standing up. "We have ta sell."  
  
"Do we gotta?" Aurora whined, looking through her pillow case.  
  
"Of coise we gotta."  
  
"I don feel like sellin taday."  
  
"Well it's da only way ta live" he explained bluntly. "We don have much of a choice.  
  
"I got some money" Aurora said after pulling some clothes out of the pillow case along with a brown leather wallet that clearly wasn't hers. "We'll be fine if we don sell taday" Reffy's jaw dropped and Aurora shrugged. "I'll be back" she departed for the washroom, leaning Reffy still standing in shock.  
  
Aurora emerged about ten minutes later, in different clothes and her hair pulled off her face, into a messy bun.  
  
"Wheah ah we'se goin?" Reffy asked as he followed Aurora out of the warehouse, into the bright morning light.  
  
"Who knows."  
  
"Not one foah plans, ah we?"  
  
"I'm a thief" Aurora pointed out, turning right down a street. "I nevah plan things. I take life as it comes" Reffy nodded, still a little dazed.  
  
"What have I gotten myself inta?" he muttered and Aurora rolled her eyes.  
  
"I'm not as bad as I seem" she said, patting him lightly on the hand.  
  
"I shoah hope so" he joked with a slight laugh. They continued walking for some time, in a part of Brooklyn that Reffy was a complete stranger to but Aurora was obviously quite familiar with.  
  
"Black Fist's territory" Aurora explained, noticing the lost look on Reffy's face.  
  
"Black. . . Black Fist?" he stammered out, almost in fear. Black Fist was one of the more well known and feared street gangs in Brooklyn and it was common knowledge to stay clear of them unless in was unavoidable, or you were one of them.  
  
"Yeah" Aurora shrugged like it was no big deal. "Stay wit me. Dey know me heah, I got free passage in theah territory."  
  
"Ah you'se on of dem?"  
  
"No" Aurora said a bit too quickly, turning on Reffy. "And don't you'se evah say anythin stupid like dat again" Reffy nodded hesitantly, getting the feeling that she wasn't completely telling the truth.  
  
"Bandit" a voice hissed from the shadows of an alley. Aurora stopped, and Reffy did too. Two surprisingly bright blue eyes were visible in the darkness and Aurora sighed.  
  
"Whadda ya want?" she spat.  
  
"We gotta talk" a small boy, not yet twelve, stepped out of the shadows. His face was covered with soot as was his sandy blonde hair, which didn't look so blonde at the moment, and his tattered clothes were also covered. He eyed Reffy. "Alone."  
  
"'Scuse me" she said to Reffy before stepping into the alley with the boy. "What Loot?"  
  
"I was jus talking ta Spring" he began.  
  
"And. . ." Aurora prompted impatiently.  
  
"She told me some interesting stuff" even in the darkness of the alley, Loot could see Aurora raise an eyebrow and he carried on. "Seems dat last night she met up wit some guy named Spot Conlon."  
  
"She what?!?" Aurora exclaimed.  
  
"Yeah, you hoid of him?"  
  
"Yeah" Aurora nodded. "I have."  
  
"Alright" Loot went on with his story, not noticing, or ignoring the rage growing in Aurora. "She said he kissed her, and dat theah was some othah stuff that happened too."  
  
"I'm gonna kill him!" she growled fiercely, the volume of her voice rising. "How dare he touch her! What an asshole! Vado strappare fuori dai suoi capelli e nutre il suo cuore ai cani!" she began in Italian before Loot put a dirty hand lightly on her arm.  
  
"Hang on" he said, cutting her off. "Lemme finish. He kissed her BACK, cause she kissed him foist."  
  
"But why?" Aurora questioned, still enraged.  
  
"I dunno" he shrugged. "She wouldn't say. All she did saw was ta ask you'se/ you'd know."  
  
"Ask me what."  
  
"Y'know, I didn't completely catch what she said" Loot said in an obnoxiously taunting manner causing Aurora to slam him up against the sooty wall of the alley.  
  
"Ya do too know ya lil shit" she growled in his face angrily. "And yoah not gonna play any of yoah lil games wit me."  
  
"Bandit" he choked out. "I don think Fist would like it very much if it got back ta him dat you'd been abusin me."  
  
"When Fist's got a problem, he can come ta me about it" Aurora said forcefully. "Right now, ya need ta tell me EXACTLY what Spring told ya, or else Fist'll have ta pry yoah body from dis wall."  
  
"Ok ok" he relented. "I'll tell, jus let go of me" Aurora took her hands off of Loot and stepped away from him. He stepped away from the wall, brushing his shirt off for no reason.  
  
"Well. . ." Aurora prompted, getting very impatient.  
  
"All I caught was 'bet' and 'Bandit'" he admitted, but it was enough for Aurora.  
  
"I'M GONNA KILL HER!" Aurora screamed in rage. "I'M GONNA KILL HIM! I'M GONNA KILL DEM BOTH!!" Aurora stormed out of the alley and faced a very shocked Reffy, who had just heard her screaming in rage. Without a word she grabbed his hand and began to drag him in the direction of the bridge.  
  
"Wha. . .?" he stuttered as he was dragged. "Wheah ah we goin?"  
  
"We'ah goin ta Manhattan" she growled.  
  
Loot stepped out of the alley, his clothes a bit dirtier than when he first entered, watching Aurora storm off, a smile plastered on his sooty face.  
  
"Fist would shoah pay big bucks ta see her dis angry" he muttered to himself, a light going of in his head as he began to scheme before running off in the other direction, feeling awfully proud of himself.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Translations-  
  
The title of this chapter is "The Black Fist" and what Aurora screams is "I'm going to rip out his hair and feed his heart to the dogs!"  
  
Translations courtesy of Freetranslation.com. Now, REVIEW! 


	14. Chapter Fourteen: One Fight Too Many

A/N-I understand that there was a little confusion in the last chapter. I will try my best to answer your questions. Are Reffy and Aurora an "item"? Why yes, they are an "item". For the time being that is. If you refer back to chapter 11, you will be able to know the complete story. What/Who is Black Fist? Ok, there are two Black Fist's. The first would be the street gang, Black Fist. As I explained they are a very fierce, well known and feared gang. They are made up of a variety of street rats, ranging from thieves, to newsies(newsies? Did I say newsies? Uh oh, another twist! But we'll get into that later). The other Black Fist, would be the person. Black Fist, more commonly known as Fist is the leader of the gang and a very fierce guy. Yes, he will be entering the story later on so be prepared. And don't worry, Spot will get what he deserves. In a way. Well, eventually he will. You see, this whole problem led me to thinking about this story the other day and I realized that the story's taking so many twists and turns that I think there's going to have to be a sequel. Wooohoooo!!! So, the end is near, but not the end end. Just the end. If that made any sense whatsoever. So, while you're trying to work out and process everything I just said, I give you-  
  
CHAPTER FOURTEEN: ONE FIGHT TOO MANY  
  
Reffy followed Aurora to Manhattan, almost in a daze. He didn't have the slightest idea why she was walking so fast and he had to practically run to keep up with her, or why she was so enraged. Her normally calm, emotionless face was now filled with utmost anger as they headed to the Manhattan newsboy lodging house.  
  
"Um. . ." Reffy said timidly as Aurora stormed up to the door, about to charge inside. "If yoah looking foah a newsie, they'ah prolly all out sellin da papes, like I should be."  
  
"Shit" Aurora exclaimed, stopping in her tracks.  
  
"Who ah you'se looking foah?" he asked, trying to be of some help.  
  
"Jack" she said, turning around to face him.  
  
"I know wheah he sells. C'mon" Reffy grabbed Aurora by the wrist and rushed her away from the lodging house to a very crowded street with a makeshift boxing rink set up in it. "He should be around heah."  
  
"Thanks" Aurora gave him a small kiss on the cheek, causing him to blush a little before scanning the crowd for Jack. She finally spotted him, sitting between two men, cheering or leering, on the boxers. He looked up as she approached, a grin creeping over his face.  
  
"Hi theah Bandit" he said in an obnoxiously cheery manner. "Whatcha doin so fah from home?"  
  
"We gots ta talk" she said forcefully. "Now-and somewheah quietah" Jack sighed and stood up, following Aurora to a more secluded area, Aurora not noticing the small figure following her.  
  
"Heah I am" Jack said in a cocky manner. "What do ya need ta talk about?"  
  
"Spot" she said flatly.  
  
"Spot" Jack repeated with a nod and that same cocky grin. "Now Spot's a nice guy. He had a little thing wit powah, if ya haven't noticed. And gamblin. He also likes ta get his way. If he don get his way ta begin wit, he'll get it somehow. He's a ladies man too. A real ladies man. Always da man with da ladies, throwin demselves at his feet practically all da time. . ." Jack looked down at Aurora who was glaring quite menacingly at him. "What about Spot?" he asked, still grinning.  
  
"What's his real name?"  
  
"Y'know" Jack said with a shrug, grin still pasted on his face. "I don know."  
  
"You'se do too know Kelly" Aurora growled. "And yoah gonna tell me."  
  
"Honest" he said, shaking his head but his grin betraying him. "I dunno."  
  
"Dammit Kelly!" she exclaimed in anger. Then, to his surprise, she grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall. "Yoah gonna tell me and yoah gonna tell me now" she pushed him against the wall harder and he winced in pain. Aurora glared at him, contemplating just what to do to him when she felt herself being pulled away from Jack and a fist connected painfully with her jaw.  
  
"Leave him alone" Scorch growled at her, dark eyes as fierce as ever. Aurora's hand flew to her jaw in shock and her brow furrowed in anger.  
  
"You bitch!" she exclaimed, leaping at Scorch, grabbing her around the neck. Scorch punched Aurora in the stomach, who doubled over in pain. Scorch moved to punch Aurora again but before she could do anything Aurora reached out and pulled Scorch's left leg out from under her, causing her to fall to the dirt. Aurora then jumped onto Scorch and the girls disappeared into a mass of flying fists and dirt. Jack, still backed against the wall, watched in shock as the two small girls duked it out. It wasn't until Reffy came rushing over that he realized the full extent of what was going on. He moved to break up the fight but Reffy beat him to it, pulling a still flaring Aurora off of Scorch. Jack helped Scorch, who now had a bloody lip, the beginnings of a shiner, scratches on her face, and torn clothes, up from the ground as Reffy dragged a furious Aurora away.  
  
"What ha ya doin?!?!" she screamed, struggling against him. "Let go of me! Lemee go dammit!" Reffy ignored her protests, keeping a strong grip on her and pushed her down on a crate, placing his hands firmly on her shoulders.  
  
"What do ya think yoah doin?" he demanded angrily.  
  
"Me?" she spat back, wiping blood away from her nose with her sleeve. Along with the bloody nose, she also had the beginnings of a shiner, a few cuts and scratches across her face, and a bruise developing where Scorch had first hit her. "What ah you'se doin?"  
  
"Preventin you'se from bein killed" he explained flatly, yet forcefully. "Cause one, ya wheah pickin on Jack which isn't a smart thing ta do, especially when Scorch is around. And two, ya wheah fightin wit Scorch which is nevah a good thing ta do cause dat goil don forget a thing."  
  
"Yeah, well I was jus fine. I didn't need yoah help" she pushed him away angrily. "I don need yoah help."  
  
"Sorry" he said coldly. "Sorry dat I care."  
  
"Do ya really?" she asked, her tone matching his.  
  
"You'se don trust me?"  
  
"I can't trust anybody Reffy" she said fiercely.  
  
"Well fin den" he said, his voice suddenly filled with pain. "Dat's alright. Ya don have ta trust me."  
  
"It's not like dat Reffy" she said quickly, realizing what she had just done.  
  
"Oh really?" he asked, his voice painfully cold. "Den what is it? No, I undahstand, I don need ta heah yoah excuses. I like ya Aurora, I really do. But if you'se can't trust me den I can't do nothin about it. I can't be in a relationship wheah theah's no trust" Reffy turned to leave but stopped and turned back around, his face a mixture of anger, pain and a hint of revengeful smugness. "Oh. . . one last thing. Riot was right. Spot does like you'se. I didn't want ta tell ya dat because I thought ya wouldn't like me if ya knew da truth. But now you'se do. You'll be good foah each othah. Both stubborn asses" Aurora watched in shock as Reffy stormed off, before she placed her aching head in her slightly bloody hands.  
  
"Oh how I hate you'se Spot Conlon" she muttered into her hands. "Oh how I hate you."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Yeah, so I had this whole thing typed up and I was about to save when my computer decides that it would be funny if it were to just freeze. Not funny in MY book. So I had to restart the computer(thank goodness for recovery cause it saved some of it) and retype half the chapter. ARRRGHHHHH! So, because I went through this terrible trauma, I would appreciate some nice review! :-D 


	15. Chapter Fifteen: The King & the Emperor

A/N-*whacks away at the computer* thanks I needed that. *looks at the smashed computer in shock* uh oh. . . I think I needed that too hehe. YOU GUYS ROCK MY SOCKS AND MY SATIN BOXERS!!! I love love love getting your reviews! They make so warm and fuzzy inside! Nice guys do always seem to finish last, don't they. But don't worry, he'll get over it! I'm glad you guys support my idea for a sequel. However, I don't know when that will come up after I'm finished with this story, because like I said I have another story I'm gonna start after this ones done(and it has a CC! I know you all love CC's!). Oh well, I'll just have to see how things play themselves out. Now, I have another chapter for you!  
  
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: THE KING AND THE EMPEROR  
  
Spot supervised the set up for the party. It wasn't an easy thing, setting up for a dock party. The docks had to be perfect and people had to be reached, meaning he had to send little convoys throughout the city. But if anyone could get it done in a short amount of time, his boys could do it, no doubt about it. Spot sat there, with his river view and all, cane across his chest like a king. He was a king. And his kingdom was beautiful, in a way. Below him, the boys hustled to and fro, moving crates, setting up a makeshift stage, clearing off a dancing floor, and other things necessary to make it just right. Spot watched curiously as a lone figure stalked across the bridge, making its way down to the docks. It wasn't long before Spot identified the figure as Reffy, alone and furious.  
  
"Alright Spot" Reffy said, approaching him. "You'se can have her. It wasn't my place ta intafeah."  
  
"What ah you'se talkin about?" Spot asked, feeling a little confused.  
  
"Aurora" he let out with a sigh. "She's moah trouble den she's woith."  
  
"Ahh" Spot grinned. "Don worry, she'll get what's comin ta her" Reffy raised his eyebrows with a doubtful look and then headed off to assist Plunk with some boxes. Spot laughed lightly to himself. Things couldn't be better if he had planned them himself. Of course Reffy and Aurora wouldn't have lasted long. Even though Reffy could be very tough when it came to the law, when it came to girls he got weak. Aurora was too much for him.  
  
"Well well well" a voice cut in, interrupting his thoughts. Spot's attention shifted to the boy, who was no more than two years older than him, standing below Spot's perch. The boy had shaggy dark brown hair, menacing blue eyes, and on his left hand was a black glove. His clothes consisted of a pair of black trousers and a blue button down shirt, which was mostly unbuttoned revealing a well sculpted chest that most guys would die to have and most girls would kill to touch. "If it isn't the Spot Conlon" he said in a cocky tone. Standing at his side was a beautiful blonde, who looked twenty, at the most. Her hair fell ever so softly to her shoulders and her green eyes were welcoming, as was her attire. Her black skirt fell barely to mid-thigh and her green shirt did little to conceal her bodacious bust.  
  
"Fist" said Spot flatly, hopping down from his seat. He spit into his hand and offered it to Fist, who shook with his ungloved hand.  
  
"Baby" he said, turning to the blonde. "Go do somethin useful" she gave him a pitiful look that he just ignored, looking at her without much of a care in the world as to how she felt about his order. "Now" he said forcefully. She nodded and slinked off, in a very suggestive manner, attracting much attention from the newsies working on the docks, and loving it.  
  
"To what do I owe da honah?" Spot asked as he and Fist walked down the dock. Fist easily towered over the Brooklyn leader, at 6'1". He looked down at Spot, a smile crossing over his lips.  
  
"Bandit" he replied. "Or as you'se know her, Aurora."  
  
"Ah yes" Spot smirked. "Aurora."  
  
"What's goin on wit her?" he demanded. "Last I hoid, from one of my boys, da mention of yoah name made her very angry."  
  
"Well I didn't know dat" Spot said, in honest surprise. "But I can tell you'se what's been goin on wit her dese past few days" and Spot went on to describe everything from the snatch of the cane, to the bet, to the encounter with Spring, to the relationship with Reffy.  
  
"Who's dis Reffy?" Fist demanded protectively, after absorbing the whole story, without as much as an expression on his face.  
  
"EY! REFFY!" Spot called loudly. Moments later, Reffy appeared, slightly out of breath.  
  
"You'se Reffy?" Fist asked critically. Reffy looked up at him, almost in fear and nodded his head slowly. "What did you'se do ta Bandit?" his voice was fierce and threatening.  
  
"I. . . I didn't do nothin ta her" Reffy stammered nervously. "She betrayed my trust and was too much foah me ta handle."  
  
"Dat's Bandit foah ya" Fist said with a small laugh. "You'se can go" he said to Reffy, who quickly scampered off. "So. . . I shoah would love ta see Bandit get beat. One of my boys said she was enraged. . ." Fist chuckled. "What I wouldn't give ta see dat. Anythin I could do ta help wit yoah plan?"  
  
"Well. . ." Spot admitted. "I was kinda hopin dat da whole thing wit Reffy would keep her outta da way foah now while we'ah settin up but it doesn't seem like dat's gonna happen anymoah. Can you'se keep her outta da way til tanight?"  
  
"What's in it foah me?" Fist demanded.  
  
"A chance ta see her get beat. . ." Spot pointed out. "And a good show too. Plus, I'd love ta have you'se, yoah boys, and da rest of yoah gang attendin tanight."  
  
"We'll be theah" Fist nodded. "And, it's a deal" he spit into his and the two leaders shook. "SUGAH!!" Fist hollered loudly. Soon, the blonde came into view, still attracting much attention from the boys as she walked, swinging her hips from side to side in a very suggestive manner.  
  
"What baby?" she asked, stopping in front of him, hands on her ever so present hips.  
  
"I need ya ta find Bandit. . ." Fist began.  
  
"And wheah might she be?" she shot back.  
  
"Check da usual spots. I need ya ta find Bandit and keep her busy til tanight" he ordered again. "Den, bring her back heah."  
  
"I haven't seen Bandit in a long time" Sugar replied with a smile and a raise of her eyebrows, her green eyes sparkling. "I'm shoah we'll have tons of fun" she then kissed Fist passionately on the lips before flouncing off to find Bandit.  
  
"So. . ." Fist prompted, looking around the busy dock. "What exactly do you'se have planned foah tanight?"  
  
"Dat" Spot, replied, with his signature smirk. "Is foah me ta know and you'se ta find out."  
  
"Ya bettah be good ta Bandit" Fist warned fiercely.  
  
"Don worry" Spot said, still grinning. "I will." 


	16. Chapter Sixteen: Under the oak tree

A/N-no, the plan is not a bad thing. It's just a diversion I suppose. It's like a surprise party! Heehee. Although no one will be jumping out to say surprise though. . . And, if you want to know how I described Fist to my friend it would be "imagine a cross between Mush and Tyson Ritter"(actually I said the name of the hottest guy(who does NOT look like a gay poet Beth!) in our school who looks just like Tyson(lead singer in AAR) *drools*). Oooh baby he is SMOKIN! And, to let you know, the next chapter is going to be the party(I'm inviting you all so if you would like a small cameo let me know!) and that means like about two more chapters and then I'm DONE! I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter up, I've just been so preoccupied these past couple days(I got my PSAT scores and am being bombarded with college letters! Everybody wants me!) that I wasn't able to write. But I FINALLY got around to it today and here it is!  
  
CHAPTER SIXTEEN:UNDER THE OAK TREE  
  
Sugar knew Aurora well enough to know that whenever she needed to think, she could be found under the large oak tree in the only park that was in Black Fist's territory. Just as she assumed, Aurora sat there under the tree, looking rather down, and emotion rarely seen in the confident girl.  
  
"Why da long face?" Sugar asked in greeting. Aurora looked up in surprise, hearing the familiar voice.  
  
"Sugah!" she exclaimed, her face lighting up a little. Sugar bent down, gave her a small hug, and then sat down next to Aurora, grateful for the tree's shade. "Wheah's Fist?" Aurora asked, looking around, knowing that the couple was rarely seen apart. Not only was Sugar Fist's girl, but she was also his right-hand. . . woman. Being raised in a proper family, before disaster struck leaving her on the streets, meant that Sugar had had a decent education, and not only possessed street smarts, but common sense and wit too.  
  
"He's doin some business" Sugar replied. "Wheah have ya been Bandit? Me and Fist haven't seen you'se round da territory foah seven months."  
  
"Dunno" Aurora shrugged. "Jus needed ta be on my own foah sometime."  
  
"Oh" Sugar nodded. "Fist was so worried when ya left witout a trace. . ."  
  
"He was?" Aurora asked, a feeling of guilt sweeping over her.  
  
"Oh yeah. He cares about you'se. But, aftah a week he sent out a few scouts and dey came back, reporting dat you'se weah stayin a borrowed apahtment and doin fine. He stopped worryin too much about you'se aftah dat" Aurora closed her eyes and nodded slowly. "Ya love him, don you'se?" Sugar asked, seeing Aurora's silent reaction.  
  
"Of coise I do" Aurora said quickly, opening her eyes. "He's da only man I've evah trusted. He's my brothah. . . in a way. Yoah his goil, not me. I don love him like dat."  
  
"Ok ok!" Sugar said with a small laugh. The smile soon disappeared from her face and she looked over at Aurora. "I suppose ya think I'm a fool foah bein in love wit one of da most powahful street figuahs in Brooklyn, possibly da whole city."  
  
"Why would I think dat?" Aurora asked in confusion. "Fist's a great guy. Plus, do you'se have any idea how many goils would kill, probably you'se, ta be Fist's goil? Besides, no only do you'se love him, but he loves you'se."  
  
"Ya shoah?"  
  
"How could you'se doubt it?!?!" Aurora exclaimed. "You've been his goil foah. . . what? Five yeahs now?" Sugar nodded and Aurora continued on. "He wouldn't stay wit you'se if he didn't love you'se. He's not like dat. And we both know dat anybody, guy or goil, who lays a fingah on you'se in an unacceptable way is signin theah own death wish."  
  
"Suppose yoah right" Sugar laughed in relief. "He looks aftah you'se in da same way. He's so protective of you'se. He had a guy on yoah tail all of dese past months, who reported back ta him."  
  
"Seriously?" Aurora asked. Sugar nodded and Aurora rolled her eyes. "Dat's Fist foah ya. If theah was a guy on my tail da whole time, den wheah was he when I got dragged ta da warehouse?"  
  
"Da guy was reporting back ta him dat you'se had jus stolen Spot Conlon's cane at da time I guess, cause da scout went back and you'se weah gone. It wasn't until Plunk reported ta him dis mornin dat he knew wheah ya weah."  
  
"I was only gone a day!"  
  
"It's Fist. . ." Sugar pointed out and Aurora sighed.  
  
"But still. He's not really my brothah. Shoah, he took me in, and theah's the pledges and all, but I gotta be allowed ta live."  
  
"He loves you'se, ya know" Sugar stated.  
  
"Yeah" Aurora replied. "Him and apparently Spot Conlon."  
  
"WHAT?!?!" Sugar exclaimed in shock.  
  
"Some of da newsies ah sayin dat Spot's had his eye on me evah since I got 'captured'."  
  
"Oooh, wait'll Dist gets a load of dis" Sugar giggled and Aurora rolled her eyes yet again.  
  
"So, why ahn't you'se wit Fist if he's doin business?"  
  
"Uh. . ." Sugar stalled. She was guessing that she was supposed to be keeping Aurora occupied for a reason, so it would probably be a bad idea to tell her the complete truth. "Well, Loot reported ta him dat you'se weah really mad about somethin so he sent me ta check on you'se. Guess I knew ya would be heah in yoah thinking spot."  
  
"And you'se weah right" Aurora let out a sigh, and looked thoughtfully at the sky. "What if Spot really does like me?"  
  
"I say go foah it" Sugar replied, after a little thinking, with a grin. "Den we'd be da queen's of Brooklyn. Spot and Fist ah quite da powahful boys."  
  
"Dat dey ah" Aurora agreed. "It's jus that. . . well. . .it's Spot and we always have dese lil feuds. Plus I made dis bet wit Spot. . . but I haven't been able ta find out anything about him. Howevah, it's not like he would know wheah ta find anything about me, so I guess we'ah about even."  
  
"What'd you'se bet?" Sugar questioned.  
  
"Ugh" Aurora spat out. I don even wanna think about it. I jus have ta win or I'm gonna have a do somethin I really don wanna."  
  
"Oh" Sugar decided not to press the matter, observing the disgusted look on Aurora's face. "Why don we go to da theatah?" Sugar asked with a smile, knowing that Aurora loved the vaudeville theatres, especially their special one, where the people knew them, and they had mezzanine seats. "I promised Fist I'd meet up wit him tanight on da docks and he wants you'se ta come too cause he wants ta see you'se but til den, we'ah free ta do as we please!"  
  
"Shoah" Aurora complied, getting up and then helping Sugar up. "I haven't seen a good show in a while" the two girls walked out of the shade of the tree, and into the bright sunlight, onto the street, both happy to be with each other. 


	17. Chapter Seventeen: PAR TAY!

A/N-oooone more chapter! Are you excited? Cause I sure am. Although the word I would use is stoked. I'm totally stoked about this. Haha. Well, all you guys who asked for cameo's are getting them, hell I even have a cameo! See if you can find me! It won't be that hard :-D This chapter is mainly just fun. There is a little importance at the end but I guess that's the only real thing. The rest of it is just for your enjoyment. My new story will be going up soon, after I finish this and I will also be going back to working on Misery's Love Company, and I would really appreciate it if you checked out that story too! Now that I got that out of my system, here's the next chapter!  
  
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: PAR-TAY!  
  
By time 9:00 came around, the Brooklyn docks were cluttered with kids. Newsies from every borough in the city, street gangs, and plenty of other random street kids. There was a band playing a lively tune and plenty were dancing. In fact, if one walked by you could swear that the whole thing was just organized chaos.  
  
Spot sat with a few of his boys, and some of the Manhattan boys, drinking from his whiskey bottle, looking around anxiously.  
  
"Don worry Spot" Jack said, observing his friends anxiousness. "Dey'll be heah."  
  
"Dey bettah" Spot growled, taking another swig. At that moment, Blink came sauntering over, a pretty brown haired, brown eyed girl on his arm.  
  
"Fellas" he announced much too loudly, making it clear he was drunk. "Fellas dis is. . ." he looked up at the sky in thought and then back at the girl. "What's yoah name again?" he asked sheepishly.  
  
"Oh Blink!" she said with a laugh. "You'se had too much ta drink. Half dese guys already know me. I am yoah goil, and I have been foah a few months."  
  
"I know dat, but. . ." he scratched his head in a very cute, but confused way. "I can't remembah."  
  
"Jaguar" she said, still laughing.  
  
"Dat's right" he exclaimed, still talking loudly. "Fellas dis is Jag. . . Jaq. . ." he fumbled over her name, Jaguar laughing at his attempts.  
  
"C'mon Blink" she said, tugging on his hand. "Theah ah bettah things ta be doin. If ya know what I'm gettin at. . ." she added with a grin. As Jaguar dragged Blink off, he gave the guys a huge smile, imagining what was in store for him.  
  
"He's shoah havin fun" Geete, one of Spot's boys, commented with a grin.  
  
"Yeah" Spot replied, still looking around. "If she doesn't get heah soon I'm gonna have a woid wit Fist" he muttered to himself.  
  
"Calm down Spot" Mush said. "Everythin'll go jus fine" Spot opened his mouth to say something when he was cut off.  
  
"MUSH MYERS!" a voice exclaimed angrily. The boys turned to see a short girl, with curly brown hair to her shoulders and brown eyes. "I've been lookin all ovah foah you'se and I find ya heah, sittin and drinkin wit dese fools. You'se left ta get a drink half an hour ago" she place her hands on her hips, her face filled with anger.  
  
"Oops" Mush said sheepishly, a blush creeping over her face. "I'm sorry Hope" he said honestly.  
  
"Dat's all you'se can say?!?!" she exclaimed. "Yoah sorry? You'se bettah make up foah it! NOW!" Mush jumped up from the crate he was sitting on.  
  
"Somebody's whipped" Koke said with a laugh before Mush shot a glare at him.  
  
"Hope" Mush pleaded, walking over to her, slipping his arms around her waist. "I'm really sorry" he kissed her passionately on the neck. "Let's get a way from dese joiks. I know jus dat thing ta make ya feel bettah" a smile crept over Hope's lips and the couple walked off.  
  
"She's got him wrapped around her fingah" Jack laughed. Again, Spot opened his mouth to say something but he was interrupted again.  
  
"Guys! Help me!" Specs said, rushing over, out of breath.  
  
"Wha?" Bumlets questioned. Specs started to speak when a girl holding a bottle of vodka came up to him.  
  
"Theah ya ah Specs!" she said walking over to him, her speech a little slurred.  
  
"Hi Duck" he said, half-heartedly.  
  
"C'mon" she pleaded, taking a swig of the vodka. "Jus one kiss. It's all I'm askin foah. Den I'll leave ya" Specs sighed in defeat.  
  
"Fine" Duck smiled at his response and grabbed his shirt, pulling him towards her and plastering his lips against his. About fifteen seconds later Specs pulled away, a dazed look on his face. "Y'know" he stated. "Dat wasn't half bad."  
  
"We could try again" Duck said, but then realized the guys around, staring at them in curiosity. "But I suggest we go somewheah a bit moah private" Specs smiled, offered his arm to Duck and the two headed back off into the chaos.  
  
"Jack!" a familiar, silky voice called out. Scorch stepped into the view of the boys, her cheeks red from running. "Theah you'se ah" Spot looked at Scorch's black eye, puffy lip, and scratches in shock, as did the others.  
  
"What happened?" Spot dared to ask the feisty girl.  
  
"I was protectin Jack" Scorch said with a laugh and Jack rolled his eyes, muttering that he was doing just fine on his own. "From dis physco Italian chick" Spot's eyes went wide with recognition. "Den Reffy pulled her away."  
  
"Shit" Spot muttered and Scorch shrugged.  
  
"Oh well, I'm fine" she smiled at Jack. "As is he. I jus go heah Jack and I've been itchin ta dance. Would ya dance wit me Cowboy?"  
  
"I'd be honahed" Jack stood up and Spot did too. Scorch and Jack looked at him, confusion as to why he was getting up too, written across their faces.  
  
"I should mingle" he explained. The three set off, Scorch and Jack then leaving Spot for the dance floor. Spot began to seek out Fist, who he found standing, and drinking, with Ice, Axe, Blade, and a few other guys that he didn't recognize.  
  
"Conlon" Fist acknowledged with a nod.  
  
"Wheah ah dey?" he questioned fiercely.  
  
"I dunno" Fist shrugged. "Dey'll show. Trust me."  
  
"If dey don" Spot warned. "You'll be sorry Fist" Fist rolled his eyes and Spot began to wander the crowd. He came across Snoddy, who was sitting on a crate staring off into the crowd.  
  
"Heya Snoddy" he said, sitting on the crate next to him. "Watcha lookin at?"  
  
"Ya see dat goil?" Snoddy asked pointing at an average height girl with long brown curly hair and emerald eyes. "Dat's Jaws. Isn't she pretty? I want ta ask her ta dance but I'm shoah dat she'll jus say no."  
  
"You'll nevah know until ya ask" Spot said engouragingly. "Go on" he gave Snoddy a nudge. Snoddy got up with a nervous sigh and walked over to the girl. He watched Snoddy speak and then saw Jaws blush. Snoddy led Jaws towards the dance floor, both smiling.  
  
Spot let out a sigh, looking down at the ground, then looked up to see Race standing in front of him, grinning. When he noticed the look on Spot's face, the grin disappeared.  
  
"What's da mattah?" he asked in concern.  
  
"Nothin. . . nothin" Spot said. "Jus waitin foah someone."  
  
"Oh" Race nodded and the grin reappeared. "Well I jus met da poifect goil."  
  
"I doubt dat" Spot said with a laugh. "No one's poifect."  
  
"She is!" Race exclaimed. "She's got wavy brown-red haiah, hazel eyes, she's goigeous and she don know it. Plus, she's smaht and nice ta everybody."  
  
"Sounds like ya got yoahself a real keepah Race" Spot said with a slight smile. "Wheah is she?"  
  
"She's. . ." Race began looking around. "She's uh. . . she's. . . uh. . . she was right theah. . ." he pointed to a spot. "But now she's not. . ."  
  
"RACE!" a voice called out. The boys looked over to see a shortish girl approaching, a smile across her face. "I found ya!"  
  
"Ah" Race said, still grinning. "Spot, dis is Cheers."  
  
"Hiya!" she said cheerfully.  
  
"Hi. . ." Spot said with his signature smirk. "Why don ya two kids run along? I think I see someone. . ." Rce nodded and grabbed Cheers's hand.  
  
"Bye!" she said with the same cheerfulness before heading off with Race. Spot shook his head and then noticed Aurora just as the band began to play a slow song, which was perfect timing. Aurora sat on a crate, staring off into space, all by herself. She had a shiner and a bruise on her jaw, but it was hard to tell in the dark of the night. Spot grinned to himself before sauntering over to her.  
  
"You'se" she spat out, looking up and seeing him. "What do you'se want?"  
  
"Aurora Marie Capone" he said, getting down on one knee in front of her. "Would you'se dance wit me?"  
  
TBC!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
MUAHAHAHAHAHA  
  
A cliff hanger! I know now you all need to know what happens! Well you'll just have to wait. Hehehehe, I'm evil! The quicker you review, the quicker I update! So snap to it!  
  
*sings* I WANNA ROCK AND ROLL ALL NIGHT! AND PARY EVERY DAY!!! *clears throat* thank you Kiss! 


	18. Chapter Eighteen: A Lesson Well Learned

A/N-OMG OMG OMG!! HERE IT IS! CHAPTER NUMBER LAST! Haha. I still can't believe it, I'm about to finish a story. Of course there will be the sequel, so you have that to look forward to cause it's done...but it's not. Muahahaha. Yep, I'm evil. I'm not telling you what she promised to do until the sequel! HAHA. Sorry, I'm being cruel but it just didn't fit into the end and it ends so perfectly. I'm going to miss your reviews. Each and every one of them. So check in for my new stories and updates. I think I'm gonna have like two new stories, one with a CC and one with out and I'd love to keep hearing from you guys. You truly have made some of my days better, just coming home to find a new review with such wonderful praises. I don't know how to describe it. So here I am, finishing my first every fic *does a happy dance* WOOOHOOO!!! Some loving reviews would be greatly appreciated. I will start the sequel in probably a month or so, giving some time to get my new stories up and running. Until then-  
  
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: A LESSON WELL LEARNED  
  
Aurora stared at Spot in shock. Not only was he down on one knee in front of her, asking her to dance, but he had just said her full name. That couldn't possibly be a good sign.  
  
"Uh..." she stammered. "...shoah" her answer came hesitantly but it satisfied Spot. He took her hand and pulled her up from the crate, dragging her to the dance floor. At first it was a bit awkward, as the two stood in the middle of all the dancing, well more like kissing, couples, until Spot took her hands, pulling her close to him, and she picked up from his lead.  
  
"Yoah a sneaky one Conlon" she hissed in his ear, putting her head near his shoulder.  
  
"I'm jus getting stahted" he hissed back. Aurora pulled her head back to see the ever present, ever so annoying smirk of his on his face. She opened her mouth to speak but Spot took the opportunity to spin her. He pulled her back into him, him grinning, her face indifferent.  
  
"How?" she asked in a sharp whisper, inquiring as to how he found out the things he did.  
  
"Don worry yoah pretty lil head about such things" he replied before leaning her down into a deep dip as the song ended. Before Aurora had a chance to storm off the dance floor, Spot took her by the hand and dragged her away from the docks and the commotion towards the warehouse.  
  
"What ah you'se doin?" she snapped, but Spot only grinned and pulled her inside. He led her to a door she hadn't noticed before, which Spot pulled open, revealing a staircase going up. They took the stairs, which lead to a door on the roof of the warehouse. Spot pushed the door open, holding it for Aurora, who stepped out in front of him.  
  
"Ain't da stah's beautiful?" Spot said, stepping out behind her, while gently closing the door.  
  
"Yeah...shoah" she said in a very distracted manner. "Alright. What now Conlon?" she demanded. It had dawned upon her earlier that he was attempting to win the bet, meaning he was going to try to make her smile, and she was trying her best to remain stoic.  
  
"Com heah" he pulled her over to the edge of the roof, where he sat down, dangling his legs over the side. She hesitated, but after deeming it safe, sat down next to him, also putting her legs over the side. From where they were sitting the docks and the party was visible. The party now looked like a bunch of little lights and tons of little ants. To herself, Aurora admitted the view was great.  
  
"I often come up heah ta think" Spot began. He stole a glance at Aurora, who was staring out into the distance, listening but not looking. "And I've been thinkin. Evah since you'se arrived, I haven't felt da same. Theah's somethin about you'se. Dat's why I protected you'se from yoah uncle, dat's why I tried so hard ta win dis bet. Aurora..." Spot looked over at Aurora, who was now looking intently at him. "I don want you'se ta leave."  
  
"Wha?!?" she said in surprise.  
  
"It seems kinda strange huh?" he said with a nervous laugh. "Da King of Brooklyn pleadin wit a thief. But da truth is I really do care about you'se. It's hard ta explain...but dat's how it is" Aurora's jaw had dropped by now, hearing this confession, and she sat there, staring at him in utmost shock.  
  
"Five minutes ago, I was about ready ta kill you'se" she stated, looking back over the edge. "And now...I dunno what ta say" she looked down at her hand, avoiding looking at him, and she shivered from the cool air of the night. Spot took this opportunity to take off the suit jacket he was wearing and drape it over her shoulders. There was silence for a few seconds before he heard her mutter. "Damn you'se Spot" a grin fell over his face as he leaned over to look at her face, a small smile, but it was a smile, across her lips.  
  
"I win" he whispered to her, before pulling his head back up. Her head shot up, the smile was gone, replaced by her anger.  
  
"So dat's it?" she demanded. "Ya only said dat stuff so you'se could win? You don really care do you'se? It' jus a game isn't it? Dat's all it is to ya. A game. Shoah, ya won, but it aint ovah!" she jumped up from the ledge, and Spot did too.  
  
"NO!" he exclaimed, grabbing her wrist and stopping her, although she still had her back to him. "I was telling da truth. I DO care about you'se Aurora" she turned abruptly to look at him, the look on her face was softer. She blinked her eyes tightly shut and then averted her glance downwards but Spot tucked hi hand under her chin and lifted her head up. "I care" he said simply before leaning in and kissing her. At first she flinched from the shock but then gave in a little. Suddenly, she pulled away from his arms, turning her back.  
  
"I can't do dis" she said strongly. "It ain't right" he grabbed her by the shoulders, pulling her back around so he could see her face.  
  
"What do you'se mean it ain't right?" he demanded, his voice fiercer than he wanted it to sound.  
  
"I don wanna leave eithah Spot" she admitted. "Foah da foist time evah I feel like I belong somewheah. I feel like I belong heah. I don wanna ruin dat. I don wanna become anothah of yaoh countless goils who mean nothin to ya."  
  
"Ya wouldn't!" he exclaimed but Aurora shook her head.  
  
"I'm sorry Spot" she said with a sigh. "I jus...can't."  
  
"Well what can you'se do?" he asked, a hint of dejection in his voice.  
  
"I can respect you'se" she said, sticking out her hand. "And I do" Spot stared at her hand, before grasping it with his and giving it a shake.  
  
"I suppose dat'll do foah now" he said with a shrug. Aurora let go of his hand and looked down at the ground, almost in embrassment for what she was about to say.  
  
"Thank you'se Spot" she mumbled.  
  
"Foah what?"  
  
"Foah givin me a place ta be" she looked up, her eyes twinkling, and her lips curved in a very small smile. "Foah givin me a place wheah I feel like I can belong. But most of all, foah teachin me how ta smile again."  
  


* * *

  
*plays Handel's Hallelujah Chorus*  
  
HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH! HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH HALLELUJAH  
  


* * *

  
I AM DONE  
  


* * *

  
*does another happy dance* you cannot possibly imagine the extreme amount of pride I am feeling right now. This is the first story I have EVER EVER finished! I MAKING HISTORY RIGHT HERE!!  
  
well, I hope you all enjoyed the story, I hope to see reviews from lots of people(wouldn't it be awesome if I could get 100 reviews? Like as a reward for my accomplishment? Haha jk) and I should be getting my new stories up soon!  
  
~Hope~ 


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